


Paradox

by Transformersfan123



Category: Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-10
Updated: 2018-01-10
Packaged: 2019-03-03 05:39:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 20,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13334625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Transformersfan123/pseuds/Transformersfan123
Summary: The Autobots have been gone for seven years. But when the Predacons come back looking for energy after an assisted prison break, the Autobots aren't far behind. What exactly has happened with Koji Onishi? Dr. Onishi knows he's alive, but he hasn't come home since a month after the Autobots left. What's wrong? And how does Sky-Byte fit in with all of this? Is there a connection?





	1. Mini-Con

**Author's Note:**

> Side Effects and Dark Secrets were two of my most successful stories. I do not expect to recreate that success with this one, but this is a...different perspective, let's say, of this whole angle. I enjoy the 2001 anime of Robots in Disguise. I have not looked into the new cartoon one.
> 
> I don't expect a lot of readers for this story, save for dedicated RiD anime fans. I don't think it was a popular series. But, if you are reading this and are a fan of my other Transformers stories, and you feel an interest, last time I checked, the ENTIRE SERIES could be found on Youtube.
> 
> If you are not familiar with Koji Onishi, he is a joyous boy whose father was captured by the Predacons. In my opinion, his luck is just about as bad as Kelly's. Read the first sentence of her wikia page if you don't know how bad her luck is. Koji's luck is also good because he has the Autobots to bail him out. :)
> 
> I'd say that's enough of me talking. Here is a take on what would happen if...well, you'll see. :)

Koji watched the screen silently. Sky-Byte stood beside him, observing the boy concernedly. The Autobots were rebooting their computer in their base to transfer TA-I to it. They had come back after seven years. Koji's father walked into view, older and more worn than the last time the boy had seen him, and Koji turned up the audio. He didn't touch the computer when he did so.

"Dr. Onishi. Good to see you. Where's Koji?" Optimus asked, inclining his head.

Kenneth Onishi's face fell, and he began to cry. The Autobots were greatly alarmed.

"Dr. Onishi? What's wrong?" Side Burn asked.

Koji began to cry himself at the broken voice that came from his father. "He's missing. He's been missing since three months after you left. I don't know where he is or what he's doing, and I haven't been able to track him. I don't think he's dead…but he isn't coming home."

The Autobots all stared at him in stunned silence. "What caused this?"

"I don't know. He started acting funny about a month after you left. He started wearing different clothes, long sleeves despite the good weather, hoods to cover his face, gloves to cover his hands, and he wore them all the time, even in his bedroom. He was moody and snappish. He was always crying, hated people touching him. I think he was in pain, but he refused to tell us what was wrong."

"Puberty?" Optimus asked gently.

"His voice and height didn't change, and, more importantly, he had no interest in girls. He was depressed and…He wasn't the Koji we know and love."

That stung the boy, so he switched off the computer, then teleported to his room. Sky-Byte left him alone for about half an hour then came in. He paused in the doorway to appraise his best friend. Koji didn't bother hiding from him most of the time anymore, so he just stared back.

His hair had gone limp without him taking care of it, so he'd cut it short. Bangs fell into his face, covering his eyes, his purely one-colored, golden eyes. His brown eyes had morphed to a color much like Optimus', sort of a coppery color that glowed, though he could change them to anything he wanted. His body wasn't the same, either. He was thinner, leaner, with muscles peeking out despite his young physical age of eleven. He looked like a strange human, which compounded when the silver color of his entire body was factored in. Everything besides his eyes and the shorts he wore from habit was silver.

Koji seemed to sense the full force of his oddity yet again, because his customary, chameleon-like cloak appeared on his body, Sky-Byte frowned and hurried over.

"Koji, my boy," he cooed softly. "Come out. Please? You know I don't judge you for this. It is my fault it happened as well as yours."

"My father wants me as I was, not as I am, Sky-Byte."

"He doesn't know any better."

Koji was distraught, crying again, so Sky-Byte used his new—well, not really new, but still strange— program to shrink down so he could embrace his friend. Koji cried for a while then looked up into the face of his friend, a face much different than the one from the first war on Earth.

Sky-Byte's design was simpler, less clunky, for lack of a better term. It was more streamlined like the Autobots. Yes, he could still transform into a shark, but his shark parts folded away neatly inside of him. His color scheme was a little different, too. His white was replaced with dark blue, his yellow replaced with a dusky gold to match Koji's optics, and his dark blue was replaced with silver, which were all a part of his attempt to communicate to Koji that he needn't be ashamed of himself as a Mini-Con, which was what they were calling him.

"I love you, Sky-Byte. I love you a lot. Don't ever leave me?" Koji asked insecurely.

"Never, Koji. Never," Sky-Byte assured him.

Though he was still emotionally youthful, Koji possessed the mind of the best supercomputer around…if that supercomputer was from Cybertron. His mind was faster than lightning, and could turn out answers that humans had never, ever thought of. That _Cybertronians_ had never, ever thought of. Not to mention his abnormal strength, super speed, and ways to control things like fire and air.

All of that made him different. In his mind, he was a freak. Sky-Byte knew this, but he didn't know how to alleviate it. He had been trying for seven years. Seven long, agonizing years for Koji, to change the way he thought of himself. And it didn't help that his father kept saying that he wanted, 'the same old Koji we know and love'. Because that was a completely different Koji than the one that now existed.

"Koji, you promised that when the Autobots were back that you would come out of hiding," Sky-Byte said to distract his little Mini-con from his thoughts that were beginning to take a dark turn.

"They won't understand me either. And," he said overridingly as Sky-Byte began to talk. "Even if they did, they'd reveal me to my parents, who wouldn't."

"They're about to add TA-I. Are you sure she can't track us?" the Transformer asked resignedly.

"I'm an integrated program. She won't even acknowledge me unless I speak to her first," Koji said.

"Would you like to go and watch the Autobots set up some more?"

"No. I wouldn't."

"How about a nice movie?"

"Can we watch a comedian instead? Tim Hawkins has a new one out."

"That sounds superb, Koji."

They sat down in the sitting area of their little home and began to laugh their cares away. But both of them knew that the Autobots' return was the starting point of what would be a big reveal of Koji and what he could do. The boy had coded a program that left his spark's unique, high energy spark signal undetectable while within about a hundred miles of their home. And the program was increasing about a one and a half miles every week. Sky-Byte's spark was protected, too. But when he left that bubble? Well, the Predacons were always after energy, right? But they, and the Autobots, would never, _ever_ expect a source of such extremely high energy to be _living_ , and that was their biggest advantage.


	2. Hang On To Your Aft!

Side Burn was trying not to cry as he raced through the desert. He was upset. This pleased Koji. Not because he took pleasure in the pain, but it would mean he would more readily accept him in as a 'stranger'.

Koji stepped in front of him, heard breaks squeal, then he transformed.

"Hey!" he barked, his voice wavering. "Watch it. I coulda hit you!"

"I want to go for a drive, Side Burn. Willing to let me take you?"

Side Burn froze. The cloaked figure kinda sounded like… "K-Koji?"

"Shh, let me go for a drive. You'll forget those other Autobots, and will have the time of your life. All you have to do is let me in."

"I should contact TA-I and let her know where you are," Side Burn muttered. "What are you doing way out here? And by yourself?"

"I'm my own boy now. I can do what I want. Now, let me in, Side Burn. We'll talk more after I've driven."

Side Burn frowned deeply. Yes, they were friends, but to let a human _drive_ him? That was off limits save for cover. The youngling smirked.

"Well, I guess what X-Brawn, Prowl, and Prime don't know won't hurt them. Sure, hop in!"

He transformed, and Koji slipped into the driver's seat.

"You, uh, don't reach the pedals," Side Burn said.

"I don't need to. Now, you've been driven at least once before?"

"Yeah. Three times. The moron didn't know what he was doing."

"Let me assure you, I know what I'm doing. This will be different in many ways. Are you ready for a nice ride?"

Side Burn considered this then threw caution to the wind. "Yeah!"

"Hang on to your aft."

The youngest Autobot brother screamed as Koji plunged his hand _through_ his dash. Power unlike anything he'd ever felt before surged through him, and his tires squealed so hard that the sand was left burning. Literally. Koji cranked up the speed to two hundred and fifty then Side Burn's human gauge broke as they shot past that. Faster and faster, Side Burn didn't know whether to be terrified or thrilled. Then he started to do tricks, sharp turns that defied physics, ramps that shot them well over five hundred feet in the air. Twenty minutes later, Side Burn gave a yell as Koji started his transformation mechanism and phased through the door. The Autobot landed on his hands and knees, tears streaming down his cheeks. He was gasping hard. He looked up to see the cloaked figure watching him. He sat down then said words that stunned him.

"That was _fun!_ Let's do it again, Koji!"

"I think you've had enough fun for one day. Unless you would like to bare your spark for me."

Side Burn, still caught in the rush of speed and adrenaline, opened his his chestplates without a single hesitation. Koji stared at it greedily. Another spark would be his. All his. Sky-Byte said he didn't mind sharing, but they must be thoroughly introduced to each other before they split or else the Autobot might tell his companions about the shark, and that would never do.

"I warn you, this is even more intense than that was, and it cannot be undone."

"Do it! Do it!" Side Burn begged.

Koji dropped the cloak and let Side Burn see him as he was. It caused him to pause, going over the silver before stopping to meet the golden brown optics.

"Am I still acceptable to you?"

"Yes! Touch my spark!" Side Burn knew it was getting close to hysteria, but he felt it had to be done. A small voice that sounded like Prowl told him that humans were to _never_ be allowed to even _see_ a spark, let alone _touch_ it, but he didn't care. Koji's own spark was singing sweetly, promising power, promising to let him be stronger than his brothers, promising that he _mattered_.

"Be still. This hurts quite a bit the first time."

The second Koji's hand made contact with his spark, it sent a bolt of the purest agony Side Burn had ever experienced throughout his very essence. He screamed, but he was so far out that nobody could hear him. He was immersed in senses that he'd never felt, memories that weren't his own, thoughts that let him hear a voice that he'd never heard before, the one of the mind. Everything swirled together, faster and faster, and Side Burn knew that Koji was getting all of his experiences as well. And then there seemed to be a third presence, there but not really…

The youngling woke up slowly, finding himself in a berth. Whoa. Did he just… _dream_ all of that?

"No. You didn't."

Side Burn pulled his gun and pointed it at…

"S-Sky-Byte? You don't look the same. And how did you know my thoughts?"

"I'm not. Koji reformatted me. Majorly. That and the Mini-Con bond has changed me for the better, I think. I know because I thought the same thing. And to reiterate, you didn't dream it. It actually happened."

"Holy frag. That was…I don't know how to describe it. What was that?"

"A Mini-Con bond. It's a sparkbond, but one you can only have with a Mini-Con, and Mini-Cons are not limited to only a single bond. Koji's spark can sustain hundreds upon hundreds of sparks, and retain personal relationships with all, we've determined."

"M-Mini…Is that why Koji was made of metal?"

"Yes."

"How did that happen?"

"Telling my secrets without me, Sky?" Koji asked, three energon cubes floating in behind the boy, who was walking through the air at about Side Burn's chest level.

"Just getting the conversation started, Paradox."

"Paradox?" Side Burn asked, gratefully taking the cube. He sipped it and sputtered. "I'm not allowed to have high-grade."

"Says who?" Koji demanded.

"Prime and my brothers."

"Are they here?"

"N…No! They're not! So I can have it?"

"After a spark bond happens, it is necessary to have a great influx of energy to help you regain yourself," Sky-Byte said. "So yes, you can have it. But drink it slowly, no more than a quarter-cube at a time. You'll get a processor ache and make yourself sick otherwise."

Side Burn took a big mouthful, swallowing greedily then shivering at the rush of energy. "Mm. That tastes good." He sipped it again. "So…Paradox?"

"I figured if I changed species, I might as well need a new name!" Koji said, but the laughter was bitter.

"I know that tone," Side Burn muttered.

"And that would be?"

"The 'I don't want to be here but I have no other choice so I'm just going to grin and bear it because that's what I have to do even though I don't like it, then they have the nerve to ask you if you're alright or happy or whatever so that you just want to punch them in the face' laugh."

"Good translation, if not a little off," Koji praised. "Mine was more of an 'I'm a freak now and nobody but Sky-Byte, and now possibly you, wants me around because I'm not human and not Cybertronian, but some freaky hybrid that doesn't belong on either planet or anyplace where other beings live because I'm so weird that they would laugh me out of the atmosphere' laugh."

"If you ask me those sound like general 'life's a bitch' laughs," Sky-Byte said thoughtfully.

"Hm, good reduction," Side Burn said, smirking. "So I can curse, too?"

"In as many languages as you want," Koji chuckled. "I've got over two thousand and counting."

"Huh. So I'm guessing that you're really smart now?"

"Yes."

"And no doubt powerful, if that ride was anything to go off of."

"I am personally more powerful than anything else on Earth, and only the most energy rich energon deposits come close on Cybertron. I am a living power conduit. Hence the name Mini-con."

"Mini…Conduit?"

"Mini-Conductor, actually. You're close though," Sky-Byte praised.

"What do you conduct? Electricity? Sound? Heat?"

Koji flashed through being lit on fire, zapping violently, and a _boom_ that Side Burn knew should have shattered his optics, audio receptors, and every glass thing in the room but didn't. Koji paused.

"While all of them are true, none of them are what I really conduct."

"Then what do you conduct?"

Koji walked over to him, standing to where his chest was optic level with Side Burn. "You are only the second person I have ever shown this."

Side Burn felt his sparkmate's seriousness, and it dropped the smile off of his face. He nodded. A bright, silvery-blue ball rose up through his chest. It was a spark. But not just any spark. It was the _spark of sparks_. Side Burn stared in amazement at the tiny piece of Allspark that had been granted to this small being.

"I…I don't… _How?"_

"I was what Primus was looking for. That is all he told me, and that is probably all I will get for a few hundred years. I don't understand either. I'm confused. I don't _want_ to be a freak. I want my old life back. I want to be a senior, worried about who I will invite to prom, worried if my friends think I'm cool, worried if I'll pass all my classes. I want normal worries. I don't want to worry if my parents will accept me, if they still love me, if even my _Autobot_ friends will hate me because of something that was an accident. I…I'm hurt."

And Side Burn could _feel_ that hurt. It made his own spark ache deeply. He brought his hands up, and the boy collapsed into them, sobbing. He stroked his back gently and a hand was placed on his shoulder. Side Burn turned to look, seeing Sky-Byte. There was a choice in front of him. Accept him or push him away? He accepted him; Koji trusted him, so he did, too. Sky-Byte touched Side Burn's chest.

"Bond with him. Prove you're there."

"Will it hurt again?"

"Not really. The closeness has a pain about it at first, and there will be shyness, but it is the best way to ease his pain."

Side Burn parted his chestplates. How could such a little spark make a difference in his? As soon as they touched, he didn't care. Physically, he was vaguely aware of being guided back on the berth, but mentally he was seeing things he didn't expect to, and was slightly embarrassed about, and realizing that he was 'naked' as a Transformer could be. He shivered, shying away and attempting to 'clothe' himself, but Koji just played his own memories, not searching the Autobot's, but reliving his father saying the same thing over and over again in different instances, "The Koji we know and love."


	3. Just A Little Fun

TA-I was searching for it again. That program that talked to her. It only seemed to come when she wasn't expecting it, but she was determined to find it. Optimus and all of the Autobots were out on patrol, and the only other one there was Dr. Onishi.

"TA-I? What does it sound like?"

"It is not something you could understand, Doctor," TA-I said. "It speaks in binary code, which is then translated into English."

"You have looked everywhere?"

"Yes. I have."

Words suddenly appeared on the screen.

_"No, you haven't, or you would have found me."_

"It _is_ there!" Kenneth exclaimed, eyes wide.

"Are you a Predacon or Decepticon program?" TA-I asked immediately.

_"No."_

"Prove it."

_"I have every byte of information in your systems. I could have given it to Megatron at any time. I have not."_

"So you have access to the Autobot database?" Kenneth asked.

_"How do you think I'm here? TA-I is rather upset that she doesn't know where I'm coming from. She is trying unsuccessfully to pinpoint me, and doesn't know whether or not to tell Optimus I'm here. You are the only one she's told. I am rather…amused, to say in the least."_

"Where are you?" TA-I growled.

_"If I tell you, you will treat me like a hostile program and try to get rid of me. I will be forced to move, and the search will start all over again. I see no point in that, therefore, I will not show you where I am."_

"Show?" TA-I asked nervously.

_"Observe."_

The lights suddenly went out, and the room was lit only by the computer light. TA-I tried in vain to get the lights back on.

"Stop it!" she finally shrieked. _Click_. "How did you do that?"

_"You are a powerful program. I am much more so. Now, share this conversation with Optimus. Goodbye."_

TA-I spun around and streaked over to Optimus as he came in.

"Sir! We've got a major problem in the computer system!"

Koji and Sky-Byte were laughing hard as she showed her leader the conversation. Side Burn frowned.

"That's mean, Koji."

The boy sighed in satisfaction. "Come now, Flicker! It's just a little fun!"

"She's scared now. That's not fun."

Koji frowned. "Flicker, she's in no real danger. I would never hurt her."

"Tell her so. Now."

Koji blinked then shrugged, reaching his mind out.

_"You know, my dear, you are in no real danger. If I wanted to harm you or the Autobots, I could have done so as soon as you landed. I could have crashed the ship while you were in the atmosphere, or kept you out of the base. But I didn't. I apologize for scaring you. I was just having a little fun. Forgive me."_

They watched as she glared at the screen. "Fine. Don't do it again."

"Unless it's an emergency," Optimus said sternly.

_"Very well. Am I still allowed to converse?"_

"I suppose if TA-I doesn't mind it."

"Not now."

_"As you wish it. I bid you adieu._ "

She and Optimus began trying to find him again.

"Better, Flicker?" Koji asked.

"Yeah. Better. Don't scare her like that," Side Burn scolded.

"I'm sorry," the boy said in embarrassment. "I didn't mean…I didn't mean to make her upset."

"She might be a program, but she has real emotions. I should know. I've hurt them a few times."

"Still not showing her where I am."

"No. I wouldn't do that," Sky-Byte said, Side Burn nodding in agreement.

"Well, I best get back before they miss me. Bye, sparkmate. Bye, Sky-Byte."

Koji watched as his sparkmate vanished in the warpgate. They'd had a nice sparkbond an hour earlier. Side Burn couldn't get enough of sparkbonding. He was hungry for the closeness it gave him, something he didn't get from his brothers anymore. They didn't seem to care except when he was doing something wrong. Koji was happy to give it to him, but always ended with the warning that he would have to talk to his brothers eventually. Side Burn recoiled from that every time.

"Much like you recoil from your parents and the Autobots," Sky-Byte said.

"He has a chance. I don't."

"Let's get to bed, yes?"

'Yeah. Wanna sparkbond first?"

"Sure."


	4. Virus!

TA-I suddenly knew what it meant when a human couldn't breath. She couldn't scream, couldn't sound any alarm. She didn't know what to do! She saw the virus eating away at the firewalls. She did the only thing she could. She sent a system's burst as fast and far as she could, hoping the other program would open. It worked.

_"TA-I?"_

_"H-h-help!"_

The alarm sounded out loud and strong and she was freed from paralysis. She became as physical as she could. The virus had eaten away pieces of her program, and she had holes and fizzles along her manifestation. The emergency firewall had come up only when she had become aware of the intrusion. It had been the last thing she had done before becoming paralyzed.

"TA-I?! What's the matter?!" Prowl barked as he skidded in. He froze, taking her fritzing frame then swearing. "Frag it! What's going on?!"

"V-v-vi-virus!" TA-I struggled to say as the others shot in there.

"Is it gone?" Optimus asked.

"N-n-n-no! Other pr-program f-fighting it!"

"Other program?" Hot Shot asked; his visor and mask were in his hands, and he looked bewildered.

"There is a program in our database that we cannot find that is advanced enough to have conversations with TA-I and others," Optimus explained.

TA-I ignored the shocked faces, focusing on the computer. The virus was putting up a fight, but the program was beating it back. She could feel the virus trying to attack her again, but a violent _zap_ forced it back. The program was… _protecting her!_

_"Of course I am, TA-I. I love you."_

_"Can I help?"_

_"You can give me permission to do a full purge. It will hurt very badly, but it will get rid of the virus."_

TA-I stood tall, making her decision. "I trust you. Do it. Autobots! Brace yourselves!"

There was a _BANG!_ and TA-I's entire program felt like she had been dipped in acid, which was the only thing she could compare it to. The base shook and they were plunged into darkness as TA-I screeched and was forcibly turned off. Then…silence. Koji's cloaked and hooded form appeared in the room, there but ready to bolt at the first sign of danger to himself.

"Automatic reboot activated. Minimum power will be restored in five minutes. Full power will take fifty-two hours to come online," TA-I's voice said.

The Autobots waited patiently. There was a click, and the emergency lights came on, providing only dim lighting. They gasped as TA-I appeared on her knees. She blinked.

"Is something wrong?"

Optimus gestured to her right. She skittered away from the form, staring in fear. A purge used a ton of energy, and it still had the energy to become 'physical'?

"You are a very advanced program," she said shakily. "What human made you?"

_"A Transformer made me. It was an accident."_

The Autobots and TA-I stared at the screen for a moment. She frowned. "You do not have a speaking program?"

_"No. I don't. I don't want one."_

"Where are you located?"

_"You still might try to purge me. I will not tell you."_

"Come now. I told you I trust you."

_"No. That is the final answer…for now. Do not ask again."_

"Optimus! Are you Autobots alright? I got an alarm!" Kenneth asked as he and his wife, Kiko, hurried in. They slid to a stop, staring at the hooded figure.

"It's the program," TA-I said.

"Fascinating!"

The two humans approached, but the program began backing up then phased up to the computer.

"Wait! I have some questions!" Kenneth exclaimed.

_"I don't care. Go to bed, Autobots, and you better rest, TA-I. I'll keep watch."_

Koji leaped through the screen, and the entire base powered up, making TA-I jolt at the influx of energy. Her mouth dropped.

"TA-I! What just happened?" Optimus demanded.

"I…That program just took a fifty-two-hour operation and did it in three seconds, sir. He repowered the entire base."

"He? It's just a program," Kiko said.

"I am, too. Yet you call me 'she', don't you?" TA-I asked, not even looking at her.

"I suppose so."

"Well, Autobots, let's recharge," Optimus said.

The humans went to their human quarters, talking excitedly about the program. TA-I shut down, trusting the program to do what it needed to to keep her safe. Side Burn snuck out and touched the computer.

"Hey, you still there?"

_"Yes."_

"That was cool."

_"Thank you. She's lucky I felt her pulse, or she could have been destroyed. That was a Predacon virus. She was searching for them earlier and found a new frequency. She focused on it, and was linked up. That's how it transferred. It was trying to deactivate the shields to find out where you are. Now, you should get to bed, Flicker. You're exhausted. I can feel it."_

"You are, too, Koji."

_"I can sleep tomorrow. You have duty. Go."_

"Okay. Je t'aime, mon âme sœur."

Side Burn left the room and went to bed. He didn't notice the golden optics on him, and Koji didn't search either. The owner of the optics stared at the computer, which began to play a French song. He nodded then went to bed.


	5. Why Did He Pick Me?

The ride had been harrowing and amazing, but it was over now. Side Burn was panting, relaxing back as he and Sky-Byte listened to Koji sing.

"He sounds wonderful," Side Burn purred.

"How's sparkbonded life treating you?" Sky-Byte asked.

"Interesting. I have a question though."

"What's that?"

"Why did Koji pick me? I mean, everybody is better than me. I'm the youngest mech on the team."

"What about Wedge?"

"I…He's a mid-youngling. I'm an older youngling. But he's got his processor power. I'm stupid. Skid-Z is faster than me. And everybody is older and are better fighters. I feel out of place. Especially with my sparkmate. I mean, look at him! He can run faster than I can drive. He can think faster than me _and_ come up with better slag, he's strong for his size, and he can do anything he puts his mind to, from figuring out pi's four millionth place to controlling fire and water and air and electricity and matter itself! I don't understand why he would pick me to be his second sparkmate."

"You were the closest Autobot to me the first time you guys were here," Koji replied, drawing out his spark to combine it with Side Burn's. The blue Autobot could feel his love for him, making him smile.

"I love you, too, sparkmate."

"Don't you ever forget it. You are perfect the way you are. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," Side Burn teased.

"Now, let's go watch a movie."


	6. Who Is It?

"Side Burn, tell us who it is!" Prowl barked.

"No."

"Brother, c'mon. We just wanna know," X-Brawn begged.

"To punish us."

"You think you don't deserve it?! You're too young! You aren't _legally_ allowed to do that yet through _Cybertronian law!_ _And_ you know you promised to let us approve of any Autobot you bonded with! You don't think you deserve—" Prowl was cut off by his younger brother.

"Yeah? Well then I haven't broken my promise."

They stared at him. "Ya didn't."

"Didn't what?"

"Bond to a Predacon."

Side Burn made a face. "No!"

"You tell us or your business will be everybody's business. We will scan every single spark to see which one matches the streaks in yours," Prowl vowed in a low, dangerous tone.

"Go to the Pit!"

"You are so grounded!"

"Fine!"

They stormed out, locking the door with a code so he couldn't get out. Side Burn lay back, staring at the ceiling.

_~Koji? Can you…come here?~_

"Certainly," Koji said happily, appearing on his chest.

"I'm in trouble."

"Because of me." He sounded embarrassed.

"Yeah. I don't mind that. I enjoy being bonded to you. I enjoy it a lot. It's nice to feel close to _some_ body. My brothers don't love me."

"Yeah, they do. They're concerned. Though it's not illegal, what we did."

"It isn't?" Side Burn asked as he sat up, catching Koji as he fell.

"No. The laws Prowl was citing are ancient, _but_ they specifically cover Transformer to Transformer sparkbonds, between mechs, not Mini-cons. I am the first, and probably only, of my species, and the laws for my interactions have not been written. However, judging from your reactions, I'd say nobot below Wedge's age should be allowed to bond with me. You were nearly delirious when we did so, and I honestly should have waited until you had calmed down. You didn't freak out when you woke up and realized that you were bonded, however, so that was good."

There was a heavy knock on the door, and Koji disappeared, replaced with a datapad that contained an action story that Side Burn had been reading bit by bit. He reclined back and read a couple sentences to honestly say he'd been reading if anybot asked. Optimus came in.

"Are you alright, Side Burn?"

"Tattletale's been talkin' already, eh?" Side Burn growled, tossing the datapad where it had been earlier.

"He..." Optimus sat down on his berth. "Prowl announced it to the whole base, and has already started scanning sparks, much to their displeasure. I could tell him to stop if you'd tell me who you bonded to."

"Not. Happening."

"Is it a Predacon?"

"No."

"Is it an Autobot?"

"No."

Optimus took off his facemask to reveal a frowning, confused expression.

"I don't understand. Is it a Neutral that has made his way to Earth?"

"He's kinda Neutral, but he's lived on Earth all his life."

Optimus nodded, looking directly into Side Burn's optics. "Is it Koji?"

That stunned him so badly that he just numbly nodded. Optimus sat back, humming.

"Is he alright?"

"Um, y-yeah. He's fine…but he's not the same."

"Is he involved in that program that TA-I talks to?"

"Y-yes."

"Was that him that came through on the night of the virus attack? The hooded figure?"

"Yes," Side Burn's voice kept getting smaller with each yes. He didn't want Koji to be angry at him, but he couldn't lie to his leader. He seemed to sense lies anyway.

"Do you know where he lives?"

"Yes."

"Would you take me there?"

"No."

"Does he live with somebody?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Sky-Byte."

"A Predacon?"

"No. At this point, he's a full blown Neutral."

"How did this bond happen? I mean, Koji is a _human_. They don't possess sparks."

"Koji…did something he was not supposed to."

"What did he do?"

"I don't know. He won't tell me."

"Will he tell me?"

_~Yes. But not now, and I'm not doing it through you.~_

"He says yes, but later. He wants to tell you himself."

"When can I meet him?"

_~When I decide I will let him.~_

Side Burn relayed the message then Optimus stood up, placing his facemask back on. "I won't tell them. Not until I have more information. And I know you're going to disappear off the grid after I leave. Just know that this is your home on this planet. And you're always welcome here."

"Thanks, Prime. I'll keep that in mind."

Optimus left and coded the room's lock again.

_~That's the closest thing to 'I love you' that you get in the Autobot ranks outside of brothers and bonds and the like, isn't it?~_

"Yeah. It is. And I haven't heard it from anybody but you in over two thousand years. Now bring me home."

An hour later the two older brothers stood outside the door.

"We are gonna be kind. Right?" X-Brawn growled at the white police car.

"Right. I didn't mean to be so harsh, big brother, but you _know_ why! And we didn't even find out who! Nobody matched!"

"Optimus said we hurt Side Burn's feelin's. That ain't right. Now put in the code and be nice, or shut yer yap. Got it?"

Prowl nodded, opening the door. They stared in horror for a few moments then screamed different things as they ran for the main room.

"TA-I! Camera footage!"

"Optimus! He's _gone!"_


	7. Upgrades!

He was blue and with silver flames flickering down his side, which matched Koji's nickname for him, though it wasn't the source. He transformed to robot mode. His design was so much more streamlined, without pesky outcroppings of gear or metal.

Side Burn couldn't stop looking at himself. He had needed an upgrade or two, but those were hard to come by, even on Cybertron. Now…oh, he looked divine! And he felt strong and healthy, which matched the way his spark had been feeling.

"You're such a primadonna."

Side Burn turned to look at Sky-Byte with a smirk. "Oh, like you didn't do this when you got your new look?"

"Oh, he was much worse. He didn't even want to get energon on his paint job," Koji teased, bringing a full cube of energon for each of them. Koji jumped in his and soaked up half the energy as soon as he touched the pink liquid, sighing in satisfaction before taking a big drink. "So do you like it?"

"Yeah! I can't wait to see my new car form!"

"I think you'll like it," the boy replied with a smile.

"Hey, Sky-Byte, what do you transform into now?" Side Burn asked, taking his cube and sipping it; it was delicious high-grade, which pleased him.

"I have three modes. Bipedal, which is this mode, shark mode, and a Jaguar XJ220 for a vehicle."

"Dude! You're a _triple-changer_?! I thought you had to be sparked right to be that!"

"No. You just have to have the right mind to change you into one," Sky-Byte laughed. "Koji played with five designs before this one, and this is the first one that let me be a triple-changer. And if I'm right, you need to pick your new animal form!"

"You are right, Sky. You are so right. Flicker, go ahead and pick an animal. Anything you'd like."

"Anything?"

"Within reason, yes. I don't suggest fish until I can get it up to four, unless I reformat you again to fly, which is possible."

"Nah. I don't want to fly. Hm, what's your favorite animal, Koji?"

"I like wolves. They're not the fastest animal in the world, but they're pretty cool to me."

"Then I would like to be a wolf!"

Koji smiled. "Thanks. Please observe the hologram and scan it with your improved scanner."

The first transformation was _painful_. He hadn't felt that since he had gotten his first vehicle mode. He shivered when he was done, cooling his systems for a couple of minutes before looking up.

"Cool! I've never transformed into an animal!

"Welcome to my life!" Sky-Byte laughed. "Now, we'll have to train you to use your animal abilities."

"What do I have?"

"You have a Pack Howl, for starters," Koji said, scanning him. "Don't use it until you have to because the other Autobots will probably come to help. As for your attack…I do believe you have superheated teeth and claws. Come up with your own name for them."

"Sweet! How do I use the Pack Howl?"

"Scanning animals comes with certain instincts. If you need to use it, you'll know how," Sky-Byte assured him.

"Cool. I like Firepaw for the claws. And Sparkjaw for the other. What do you think?"

"Sounds workable to me," Sky-Byte said. Now let us toast! To Koji! And all the wonderful things his new body and mind can do!"

"To Koji!" Side Burn exclaimed, and they clinked cubes.

Koji's smile was genuine. You know what? Maybe in a few days he would be willing to meet with Optimus. Maybe.


	8. Allspark

The Predacons had improved while they were imprisoned, Side Burn realized at the same moment as Sky-Byte. Koji had run when they had grabbed at him, and he was a helluva lot faster than any of them, especially Dark Scream, who had chased him. They thought to steal a high-energy source from the boy. They didn't realize that Koji _was_ the high-energy source. A _living_ source with the enormous amount of projected raw energy that Koji had? That had never existed before. They could strip him naked and not get the energy they wanted. They would have to get his spark out of his chest, which only a sparkmate could do, besides the boy himself. There was no chamber to break into, no plates to pry open. Just…Koji.

"Sir, that thing is not human! It's too fast! It got away!" Dark Scream panted as he got back as the Predacons tied the two…Well, they weren't Predacons…but they weren't exactly Autobots either…They tied the two Transformers up, looking pleased.

"We can melt them down for scrap!" Slapper exclaimed.

"Side Burn, you might want to use that 'until you have to' ability," Sky-Byte whispered.

"Quiet!" Gas Skunk barked angrily, slapping the shark as Side Burn let out a long, loud howl. He, too, was slapped.

"You should have stayed on our side, Sky-Byte," Megatron sneered.

"Yes, because we won every single time," Sky-Byte said blandly.

"So you became an Autobot?" Dark Scream laughed.

"No."

They shuttered their optics in surprise. "Wait, really?" Slapper asked.

"Yeah, and I'm no Autobot either!" Side Burn growled. "They think they're better than everybody who's younger or different. I don't _want_ to be an Autobot! So I quit!"

"So you're Neutrals," Megatron surmised.

"Yeah," Gas Skunk said with a grin, holding a scanner. "Neutrals with some _very_ potent sparks. We could get quite a bit of energy from them, sir."

"Oh really?"

Megatron placed his hands on Side Burn's chest. "Let's just see that, shall we?"

"Get your hands off my brother!" Prowl barked as the Autobots showed up, optics blazing.

"Oh, and who's going to stop me? You Autobots?"

"If you don't get your hands off of my sparkmates, I will kill you right here and now."

The voice was low, and very dangerous. It wasn't a yell, but everybody in the clearing heard it, Autobots, Predacons, Decepticons, and Neutrals. It sounded like somebody was right by their audio receptor, and all Autobots, Decepticons, and Predacons, even Optimus and Megatron, looked over their shoulders.

"Aw, c'mon, sparkmate! Have a little fun at their expense!" Side Burn laughed, optics glinting meanly.

"Yes, show them why they can't have the energy source."

"Very well. You have ten seconds to go away, Megatron. Or else I get to play with you."

Again they looked over their shoulders. "Coward," Megatron growled, "I'm going to do this before you can touch me."

He dug at the seams, the Autobots took one step forward and, quite suddenly, a hooded Koji was there on Side Burn's chest. Megatron gasped, taking two steps back as the Autobots froze. Side Burn's chains popped, Sky-Byte's following a second later. They stood and backed up. Koji floated there in mid air. Megatron studied him.

"You aren't a Transformer."

"No."

"You aren't human."

"No."

"Hmph. Where is the energy source you possess?"

"Your ten seconds are up."

"You can't do anything to me."

"Side Burn?"

"Shock his aft!"

"Yeah ri—"

There was lightning crackling around the Predacon's frame before he could finish the two-worded sentence. He screamed, and Koji didn't release him for ten whole seconds. The Predacons all backed up behind their smoking leader. Megatron's jaw dropped.

"You're the so—" he started, horror in his face.

The ground shook violently, flames erupting over all the trees, and the Predacons scattered as fast as they could, even Megatron. The Autobots were shaking and muttering to each other. Side Burn laughed hard as ground stopped shaking, and the fire disappeared to reveal perfectly whole trees. He hurried over to catch Koji, petting him happily.

"I've been wanting to see that for years," Sky-Byte sighed vindictively, reaching over to stroke his sparkmate as well.

"S-Side Burn?"

The three beings turned to look at the entire group of Autobots. It was everybody.

"You were supposed to come alone, Prime," Sky-Byte said angrily.

"I did. Then there was a howl and we all felt the sudden urge to be here, so they took the spacebridge as fast as they could to get here."

"Hey! My Pack Howl works!" Side Burn laughed.

"Pack Howl, little brother?" Prowl asked.

Side Burn had stopped laughing. And smiling. "So I take it everybody knows my business."

That certainly shamed him. "I…But you promised it wasn't a Predacon."

"It's not."

"What do you call Sky-Byte?"

"A Neutral."

"So…you bonded to a Neutral?"

"No."

"Well then who did you bond to?"

"He bonded to Koji," Optimus said softly. "Though I still don't fully understand how it is possible. He is human."

"No. I'm not," Koji said, taking his cloak off. It left his hand and disappeared.

The Autobots scanned him in every way they could. He had told the truth. He wasn't human anymore. He gave off a funny reading that matched nothing they'd ever seen. Only…Sky-Byte and Side Burn gave off a much lighter reading of the same thing. There was strained silence until Koji's cloak appeared on him again, and he flipped the hood up. Optimus slowly walked over and held out his hand.

"Koji? You wanted to talk?"

"If you insist," he muttered, stepping into the open palm. "Side Burn? If Prowl gives you trouble, tell me. I'll set him right."

"Much appreciated, Koji," Side Burn replied, the shadow of a smile on his face.

Optimus began to walk through the forest. After fifteen minutes of silence, Koji pointed to the right. Optimus followed the boy's directions until they were in a little clearing with a creek in it. With a _pop_ that startled the Autobot leader, he warped over to the running water and sat in the middle of it. Optimus watched him for a moment, then walked over and sat beside the boy on the warm, moist earth. More silence.

"I take it you're waiting for me to hate you?" he finally asked.

Koji shrugged. "Yes and no. Transformers are more likely to accept me, so that's not why I didn't want to come out of hiding."

"So…your father and mother?"

Koji bit back a sob, and Optimus hated to see the pain there.

"They just want their Koji back. 'The same old Koji they know and love.' What am I supposed to do, Optimus? I have the mind of the most advanced supercomputer on Cybertron, I'm faster than a bullet train on foot, I've got more power than two hundred super nukes combined, I'm completely made of metal, I have a piece of the Allspark inside of me, I'm a—"

"What?!"

Koji paused. "Which one made you do that?"

Optimus snatched Koji up as gently as he could and brought him close to his optics. He removed his facemask with the other hand and started seriously at him. "What was the last one?"

"I'm a freak?"

"Before that. The last one you finished."

Koji blinked. "Oh, right. Allspark inside of me. Yeah, that made Sky-Byte and Side Burn freak, too."

"And you're sure it's the Allspark?"

"No. Just a piece of it."

"But you're _sure_?"

"That's what Primus called it."

"Primus?" Optimus frowned. "I want to see you, but I'm afraid if you keep giving me this information, I will…hurt you."

"Oh, won't happen, but there's an easy fix."

Koji backflipped off of Optimus' hands then stood there just as tall as the Prime was when he was standing. Optimus shuttered his optics at him.

"How long have you been hiding that?"

"Side Burn and Sky-Byte know about it. I just don't do it often. It makes me feel weird. They don't like being human-sized either."

Optimus pinched his olfactory ridge. "If I ask about everything you do or say that's different, I will never cover what I need to."

"I agree."

The Prime took a deep breath as Koji sat down and removed his cloak. Again it disappeared.

"You have a piece of the Allspark in your chest?"

"It's my spark."

"Alright. And Primus told you what it was?"

"Yes."

"Fine. What else did he say?"

"He told me this, almost verbatim," Koji paused. "'You are what I have been looking for. Keep this piece of the Allspark with you. Connect with the Autobots. Empower them. The enemy grows ever stronger, and you will give them a fighting chance. Optimus shall be your leader. Connect with him as soon as possible. Go on, sparkling, go and do this.'"

"Connect?" Optimus queried.

"Sparkbond," Koji said with a shrug.

"Is now sufficient?"

Koji held up one finger. _~I am going to sparkbond to Optimus. Warp back home until I am done.~_

_~Alright. We'll see ya soon.~_ Side Burn said.

"Please turn off your vocalizer, Prime."

Optimus looked questioning, but did so. Koji stroked the red chest. "This will be very painful. Show me your spark."

Optimus did so slowly. Just like Sky-Byte had. Side Burn had been hopped up on adrenaline, and he was more inexperienced than the two older bots. Koji shrank down, standing midair right in front of the pulsating essence of his leader. He met Optimus' optics and reached out.

Pain lanced through them, and Koji bit his bottom lip so hard that energon started leaking out. He couldn't scream or they would come running. The pain gave way to images and sounds and feelings. Koji suddenly realized he should have explained to Optimus that he got _everything_ because he was hearing secrets from the others that he knew they wouldn't like him knowing. The second wave of pain caused both of them to scream loudly, and Koji wondered how the vocalizer had turned back on.

They woke up to find Side Burn and Sky-Byte drinking cubes of high-grade energon while each holding out another. Optimus took his and downed half of it in one gulp. Koji soaked up the same amount as soon as he touched.

"I assume they're going to be here any minute," Sky-Byte said with a smile. "You were very loud."

"Do you have a faulty vocalizer, Optimus?" Koji asked

Optimus' optics turned pink. "Yes. I need to have it replaced, but I don't want to bother anybody."

"Nonsense. I'll do it," Koji said immediately. "How about Friday morning?"

"If that works."

"It does."

"Whoop, here they come," Side Burn snickered, drinking his cube down to a quarter.

"Optimus!" they were crying out.

"Over here!" Sky-Byte called.

They were there as fast as possible. "Are you alright, sir?" Prowl demanded.

"Yes. I'm fine."

"Why did you scream?" Hot Shot asked.

"I…" Optimus suddenly realized how awkward this was. Oh well. He was already there. "I was sparkbonding with Koji. It hurt."

"Boy, that's putting it lightly," Side Burn laughed, sipping on his energon.

"Is that high-grade?" Prowl asked, narrowing in on him.

Side Burn smirked and downed the rest of his cube. "Yeah. It was."

Prowl looked ready to arrest him, again, but he registered what Optimus had said. "Sparkbond? But isn't he Side Burn's sparkmate?"

"And Sky-Byte's," Side Burn said.

"And now Optimus'," Sky-Byte added.

"That's physically impossible," X-Brawn argued.

"Not if you've got a piece of the Allspark in your chest, _and_ not if it is a Mini-Con bond, not a sparkbond as you know it. They are two entirely different things," Koji said, his cloak reappearing. He flipped up the hood.

"Allspark?!" they all shouted in disbelief.

Koji stretched out into Transformer size again then pulled the spark out of chest. Every optic was on his spark. It was no ordinary spark. It had streaks of gold and silver and red and green and purple in amongst the blue. In fact, there was just as much of the other colors as the blue. The Autobots couldn't breathe as they stared reverently at it.

"By the Celestial Spires," Prowl whispered. He looked up at Koji's face. "Oh, you are so blessed."

"And you could be a part of it," Koji said softly. He put it back abruptly and stood up straight. "But you won't."

"I'm willing," Prowl argued. "I think we all are."

"Oh, they will be eventually. But not you."

"Koji!" Optimus gasped as Prowl froze, tears in his optics.

"Well…okay. He can be, but only if he gets right with Flicker. Until then, I won't touch him."

"Flicker?" X-Brawn asked.

"Oh, that's my nickname. My spark flickers like fire sometimes. He liked that."

"That's personal information!" Prowl growled, glaring at him.

"And that is the reason you're never going to sparkbond to Koji," Side Burn grumbled.

"What? What are you talking about?"

Side Burn smiled lovingly, and spoke sweetly. "Oh, now that's personal information. Information you clearly don't care about."

The tension was reaching a boiling point, so Optimus stood up. "Let's get back to base."

"See you later, _brother_ ," Side Burn said, still sounding sweet.

"You aren't coming with us?"

The Mini-Con and the two Neutrals said a vehement, "No!" at the same time then disappeared in a warp bubble. The Autobots stared at where they'd been. Optimus could feel that Koji was angry.

_~What's wrong?~_

_~You know what's wrong. Talk to Prowl or I will not take him into my spark. I mean it, Optimus.~_


	9. Cavansite

Prowl stared blankly at the ground. "I didn't realize. You've got to understand that."

"Ah do, Prowl. But ya've got ta admit…ya've been a right jerk when it comes ta our little brother," X-Brawn said softly. "He's always been more sensitive 'bout things, and all ya do is rail on him. It's destroyin' him."

"I need to talk to him."

"I will tell Koji. Pick a spot," Optimus said.

Prowl did so, and was there on time. Though maybe he should have been early? Or late? Which would sent a better impression?

"Still thinkin' too much, bro," Side Burn snickered.

"Side Burn!" Prowl spun to see his brother. His very _different_ brother. He looked so…sleek was one word for it, but…grown up fit it better. Prowl stared, speechless, optics roving over his brother.

"No words? No derogatory jab? No mean comments?" Side Burn asked, and there was a bitterness there that was old.

"Side Burn I…You know I love you."

"Do I? You never say it. The last person who said it was X-Brawn, besides Koji of course, and that was two thousand years ago. I can't begrudge our big brother, because he actually _proves_ he loves me. You, on the other hand, wouldn't give me the time of day if I was parked wrong or chasing a candy apple red sports car."

Prowl stood there, acutely ashamed of himself. He found tears winding down his face, but he didn't have the spark to be embarrassed. A thought occurred to him, and he looked up, trying to wipe the tears away. They came back.

"You haven't been chasing sports cars. Of _any_ color."

"No. I have Koji now. That's leveled me out. Besides, _he_ always talks back."

Prowl chuckled. "Bonding's done you wonders, brother."

"But you didn't notice."

"I…It's not that I didn't notice," Prowl muttered, hugging himself. "It's just…I thought you were…I don't know. I didn't believe it was permanent."

"Good way of putting it." Side Burn studied him. "Race with me, brother."

"I…You know I can't do that. Not unless we're on a racetrack."

"Or…in a desert," Side Burn said, gesturing around. "There aren't any speed laws in the desert, big brother. ATV's, Hummers, they speed along as fast as they can, jumping dunes, taking spills. It's legal, bro. I promise."

Prowl hesitated then conceded. "Where to?"

"Oh…Freelance."

Side Burn was grinning as they transformed.

"Ready. Set. Go!"

They took off. As they drove, Koji watched, invisible. He watched them for ten minutes before speaking.

_~Ask him.~_

"Would you mind if Koji drove you?" Side Burn asked, launching thirty feet into the air.

"He isn't old enough!" Prowl responded.

"How old is he?"

"Um…" Prowl sped ahead of his brother. "Eighteen, I think. Huh. I guess he is old enough. But he's got no license!"

"Yes, he does! He disguised himself as a human and got it This I promise to you. So…would you?"

"He couldn't reach the pedals. His body is that of a child." This was Prowl's last excuse.

"Yeah? Well, he doesn't need to. So, what do you say bro?"

Prowl turned and headed straight for Koji, who tensed, ready to jump in.

"I…I guess he could."

They passed, and Koji phased through the door. Prowl screamed in fright, but before he could slam on the breaks, the boy jammed his arm though the dashboard. Power shot through Prowl, and he gasped as he took off. He heard his younger brother's laugh-filled call.

"Hang on to your aft!"

Prowl's boosters fired, and he went faster. Then he went even faster. He couldn't intake right, but the wind kept him cool. His transforming program was kicked in after ten exhilarating minutes, and Prowl found himself on his hands and knees, panting and crying. He sat back as Side Burn warped in with Sky-Byte. The shark picked Koji up, while Side Burn curled close to his brother and let him breathe. Prowl finally calmed down, sighing.

"That was…fun."

"Yeah. I know."

Prowl looked up distrustfully at Sky-Byte. "What are you doing here?"

"Providing company."

"Why?"

"Bro, chill. He's cool," Side Burn said with a nod.

"You're sure, little brother?"

"Yeah. I'm sure."

"I have a question for you, Prowl."

Prowl turned to look at Koji. "Yes?"

"You said you were willing, but are you willing to do it now?"

"What?"

Koji pulled out his spark, making Prowl stiffen.

"With…them here?" he asked, sounding shy.

"No. They will warp back home. Be my fourth sparkmate. Please?"

"Then…yes. I would be honored."

There was a soft _pop_ and they were alone. Prowl was definitely shy as he pulled out his spark. It was an odd shade of blue. Darker than any Koji had seen.

"It's a genetic defect!" Prowl said quickly to cover his embarrassment. "It's caused by—"

"I know, Cavan. I know what it's caused by. You don't have to be embarrassed, you know. Side Burn's flickers white sometimes. And I know through Side Burn that X-Brawn's pulses wrong. There is nothing wrong with a different spark. That's the very reason your protectors adopted the three of you."

"I…Really?" Prowl shuttered his optics at him then slowly took off his mask. "So you know about this?"

Koji appraised the three lines that went across Prowl's faces. They had been deep when they were made. He met the mechling's optics.

"Yes. I do. And I know about X-Brawn's, too. Mirage's are worse than both of yours."

"You know this? How?"

"My sparkbond with Optimus. And I will not tell you any more than that. That is Mirage's business. Understand?"

"Yes, Koji. I do. Does this hurt?"

"As Side Burn so eloquently put it, like a son of a bitch. But we are so far out that you needn't worry about somebody coming and watching you writhe. I won't let that happen. Ready, Cavan?"

"Cavan?"

"Yeah. Short for Cavansite. It's your new nickname. Look it up later. Now, are you ready?"

Prowl nodded, forcing himself to relax. Pain tore through him, and he sobbed in agony. That was quickly followed by memories. He woke up with a shudder, and took the energon offered to him by Side Burn. They sat there and drank deeply until Prowl noticed something.

"You're drinking high-grade, aren't you?"

Side Burn lowered the cube, looking away and holding it out to his brother. Prowl studied him then shrugged.

"Eh, as long as you regulate your drinking of it, I don't care."

"You…don't?" Side Burn was incredibly surprised.

"No. We're in a war. If that doesn't prove you're mature enough to drink high-grade, I don't know what will."

Side Burn happily took a big gulp, scooting closer to his brother. Prowl put an arm around him then looked to Sky-Byte.

"So…what's your story?"

"Oh, I was stranded on Earth, met back up with Koji, had an accident, and I'm still suffering the consequences of it."

"Oh. If it's an injury, I can…help…"

Side Burn made a vicious gesture that he should _shut up_. Prowl studied Sky-Byte and noticed something. He was looking directly at Koji. Oh. _That_ kind of accident. He was about to ask the question that nobody had an answer for, not even Side Burn, but Koji shook his head.

"I don't want to talk about it. Drop it. Now."

So he did.


	10. All Autobots

One by one the Autobots fell beneath his onslaught after Side Burn moved back in with them (though Koji and Sky-Byte lived where they had been). All of them were relatively easy. Except Mirage. he was the last one. He surrounded himself with his friends, not wanting to risk the vulnerability. But Koji caught him alone on an island he'd set up to be a training ground.

Mirage knew he was there, but ignored him until he could stand it no longer. He spun to yell, but…he was gone!

"I can be a living target," Koji said from his shoulder. "Give you a little challenge."

"Oh really?" Mirage asked. "What's the catch?"

"You show me your face and bond with me if you lose."

"And?" He was nervous, and Koji could tell.

"I convince Ironhide to bond with you."

That was the only thing that Mirage couldn't refuse. It was the sweetest, most tantalizing prize the Spychanger had ever heard of. And he _wanted_ it.

"Deal."

Koji grinned. "I get a two-minute head start. You win if you hit me three times. The hour starts when you start pursing."

"So it's like a hunting trip," Mirage said, grinning beneath his mask. "Perfect for marksmanship on moving targets. How will I know if I hit you?"

"This one does not count. Shoot me," Koji said, leaping down to stand in front of him.

Mirage did so immediately; he figured if the kid told him to shoot him, he could take it. There was a sharp sound, like a bullet ricocheting off metal. Mirage hummed.

"Would you like a different noise?"

"No. That's fine. Your head start begins…now!"

One second he was there, the next he was gone. Mirage shivered in anticipation. Koji's abilities were legendary among the Autobots, and some Mirage was sure had been made up. The question remained: Was he good enough to beat this boy?

No. He wasn't. He had lost. Mirage had gotten his first point within five minutes. The second had been at the thirty-minute mark. He hadn't seen Koji since, and he was frightened and irritated. The timer went off.

"Frag it all, Koji Onishi! Get your aft out here! I lost, okay?"

"I'm right here," Koji said. Mirage spun to the voice and watched in disbelief as the foliage's colors bled off the boy. "Surprised?"

"I…How many people know you can do that?!"

"At this point? Just you and Sky-Byte."

"That's not fair!"

"Not true. You didn't say I couldn't use camouflage."

"I didn't expect…Oh, frag it all!" Mirage was close to bursting into tears. He sat down, throwing his gun to the side and crossing his arms. Koji watched.

"We don't have to if you don't want to."

"I don't!"

"Very well. I must go and talk to Ironhide."

"Wait, what?"

"You said 'and', Mirage. Me talking to Ironhide only applied if you lost. You lost, so I'm going to go talk to Ironhide."

Mirage stared stupidly after the boy. He was gone for a minute, when the Spychanger took off his mask and visor.

"W-wait!"

There was a rushing sound, and Koji came back. "Yes?"

"I…I lost. That means you get to bond with me."

"And see your face," Koji said, walking up invisible stairs to observe the mech's face. Mirage's blue optics were slightly pink as he was observed.

"I'm ugly and I know it."

"Ugly? No, I see a warrior who's earned his stripes. He deserves to be honored!"

The scarring was terrible, lines winding all across the mech's face, stopping just before it went underneath his chin. But that comment made Mirage smile, and his optics were _completely_ pink for an entirely different reason.

"Thank you. Ironhide thinks so, too. And…the others to an extent. But they just stare when I take it off. I can hear them now: Oh, he's so pathetic! Look at all those ugly…scars…" Tears began to stream down his face, and he covered it with his shaking hands.

"They don't feel that way," Koji said softly, stretching himself out to Mirage's size. "Oh, they don't feel that way. They think you're brave, they admire you. But they're confused by you. You constantly push them away. Even Ironhide, most days. They want to be your friends, to care about you, but you make it so difficult. Here." Koji pulled out his spark. "You will complete the circle, and you will be able to fuse with your teammates to form a larger mech. I have already set it up. You will be closer to them than ever before. But you must let them in. _You_ must do this. It will not come easy, but it will be well worth it. Don't you think?"

Mirage wiped his face and nodded. "So they don't hate me?"

"They are confused by you," Koji repeated. "Let them in. Please? It will get you what you desire. Ironhide _wants_ to bond with you. He loves you. You're his brother-in-arms. He wants to be closer to you, to share thoughts, dreams, feelings. Understand?"

"Yes. Bond with me?"

"Certainly. This hurts the first time."

"I can take pain."

He didn't scream like the others had, and they were soon sipping high-grade. Mirage was thoughtfully stroking his chest.

"So you'll talk to Ironhide?"

"Talk ta meh 'bout what?"

Mirage jumped. "I hate you, Koji."

"Aw, I love you, too, Raj."

"So ya bonded?" Ironhide asked, taking the cube that Koji conjured for him.

"Yes."

"Would ya bond ta me?"

Mirage blinked. "Um, yes."

"Oh! Great!" Ironhide said.

"But not until tomorrow evening," Koji said. In response to the bewildered looks, he snickered. "Mirage _just now_ bonded to _me_. He's low on energy. Another bond? Not a good idea 'til tomorrow night. I suggest both of you go home and talk. With each other _and_ the other Spychangers. You need a good, long, personal talk. I gave all of you something to talk about. Now go."

"Thanks Koji," Mirage said, grabbing his mask and visor.

Ironhide grabbed his hand before he put them on. "Wait! Um, do ya have ta wear them things all the time?"

"I'm not walking through base without them," Mirage said, glaring at his friend. Ironhide's shoulders slumped. Mirage hesitated then touched him. "Hey, I'll take them off when we're in the Spychangers' common room. Okay?"

"Ah'm gonna hold ya ta that!" Ironhide laughed.

They hurried away. As soon as they were gone, Sky-Byte warped in. He smiled.

"Well. That's all the Autobots."

"Yeah. I know. But that's not all the Transformers."

"Koji, how are you going to get the Predacons and Decepticons to do this?"

"They want power, right? Both energy and dominance?"

"Koji, it's dangerous."

"I know."

"How will you even get to them?"

"You'll see in the morning."


	11. Worse Than You Can Imagine

_~Not what I thought you meant.~_ Sky-Byte stated dryly. Koji shrugged.

"Ah, so you _are_ the energy source," Megatron said, pleased.

"Yes," Koji replied.

"How did you become what you are? We must create more."

"It's not possible," Sky-Byte said. "Besides, you don't want to do that."

"Why not?" Slapper demanded.

Silence.

"Come now. Tell us and we won't torture you," Scourge said, looking eager to do just that.

"It's worse than anything you think it could be," Sky-Byte warned.

"What could be so bad?" Dark Scream asked dismissively.

"I needed crucial repairs around my spark chamber," Sky-Byte said dully after Koji shrugged listlessly. "An old wound was reopened, severing tubing that circulated energon to my spark."

"So? You clearly repaired it," Gas Skunk said with a shrug.

Koji's face was blank. "No, he didn't. I did. He instructed me on what to do. I hit the manual release for his spark chamber and…fell in."

The silence this time was much thicker, and there was a tinge of horror to it.

"You… _what?!_ " Megatron looked like he couldn't believe it. None of them could. "You both should be dead!"

"Yeah. We know," Sky-Byte said, his voice soft. "But Primus saved both of us. We left the encounter with a bond, a strange bond that didn't fit the parameters of a normal sparkbond. The accident happened about a month after you were arrested, after the Autobots left."

"Two days later, the pain started," Koji murmured, hands twitching. "Pain like I'd never experienced. The first pain of the bond was sharp, but quick. This was a dull ache that grew heavier as the days wore on. Metal started growing out of my skin. It spread fast. Then I went blind for five days as my optics were built. By that time, I had run away from home, and Sky-Byte was my only companion. The pain didn't completely go away for five hundred seventy-three days."

More silence, and this one stretched on for a good five minutes. Both Decepticons and Predacons tried to wrap their processors around what the boy had just said. They couldn't do it. Koji knew that it would take time for it to happen. That, and the expressions of pure horror and disbelief, was why he hadn't told the Autobots.

"I…I don't think we'll be making any more of you," Megatron said, his voice strangely quiet.

"You don't need to. I will willingly power your base for you, and provide energon, low, mid, high, flavored, whatever you want and as much as you want, within reason of course. My only request is that you allow Sky-Byte to walk around free in the base. And my demand is that you not ask me Autobot secrets."

There was no argument. They were all spooked from the story. Megatron picked him up, freed Sky-Byte, then carried the little Mini-con to a large, empty room.

"Energon?" He actually asked it, as if expecting a no.

"What kind?"

"One-fifth low, three-fifths mid, and one-fifth high?"

The Predacons and Decepticons gaped as cubes formed and filled, stacking all the way up to the ceiling. Koji smiled.

"You didn't believe I could do it, did you?"

"No," they all chorused.

"So I get my old room?" Sky-Byte asked.

"Yes. And this…?"

"Mini-Con. Call me Paradox."

"Suitable name," Scourge said thoughtfully as they returned to the main room.

"We thought so. And I shall bunk with Sky-Byte. Now, what are you working on?"

"Energy siphoning device," Scourge said. "To steal from the power plant in the city down that way."

Paradox nodded thoughtfully. "I have a question. Have you ever considered solar panels? Build your own and set them up on isolated, uninhabitable islands along the equator. Add a heat converter, a sturdy windmill or two, plus set up some lines to pull power from the waves of the ocean, and that's more energy in one bright, sunny, windy day than you've ever managed to steal in any of your individual excursions."

Silence for a whole minute. "We don't have the parts for it," Megatron said. "We'd have to steal them and the Autobots would come and destroy them when they'd pinpointed them."

"Nonsense. I will form the parts, and teach you how to construct them."

"Just make the whole thing!" Slapper argued.

"No. You will work for your power."

"We could hurt Sky-Byte," Gas Skunk said with a smirk.

"Oh. You still haven't learned your lesson. Very well. Might want to hold on to something."

"Wait!" Megatron barked, but the power shut down and they dropped to the bottom of the ocean, falling completely over. "What did you just do, Paradox?!"

"Oh, just siphoned all power out of your Megastar. Why? Hm. Made me thirsty for more energy."

"Put it back!"

"Are you going to do what I say?"

"Yes," the ten mechs muttered irritably.

Lights flared on, and the gauges jumped to full power. The lights were extremely bright and they were moving swiftly, faster than before. Every optic landed on Paradox, wide with shock.

"What? I gave it back with interest."

"Um…so when do we start building?" Gas Skunk asked.

"Tomorrow. I'm thirsty. And I want turkey."

The mechs untangled themselves, standing shakily. "Can you still eat human food?" Slapper asked as the Decepticons went to get energon.

"Yes. It's more for taste than sustainable energy, though. I'd have to eat a whole restaurant out of every last crumb before it would make a dent in my energy needs. And it wouldn't be that big of a dent."

They nodded as energon was brought back.

"We, uh, didn't know what you can take, Paradox, so…we brought you low," Movor said sheepishly. He moved to lower the cube down, but it levitated at chest level. Paradox shot up to hover beside it, cupping his hands to take a drink. He made a face.

"I'll take high. No, don't bother going back."

The cube changed from low to high, the glow becoming brighter. They stared.

"Wow. You've really got that down, don'tcha?" Slapper asked.

"I had to. Early on, my body started shutting down from lack of energy. I wasn't just hungry all the time, but thirsty. I needed liquid energy, which is what energon is. I discovered that I can make a lot of energon with only a little power, then can be sustained for many days on the energy from a single high-grade cube."

"Impressive," Scourge said. "Is there a way for us to do the same?"

"No. But I could make all of you more energy efficient. Give you a few upgrades."

That certainly got their attention. They looked rather eager.

"I haven't had upgrades since I was in the Ring!" Slapper said eagerly.

"Ring?" Ro-Tor asked.

The Predacons went silent. Sky-Byte didn't offer anything, either. Paradox frowned.

"You must tell them."

"Sky-Byte!" Megatron growled.

"I didn't tell him. I didn't," Sky-Byte muttered. "Spark bond."

"You can't have sparkbonded _that_ much."

"Paradox is different when it comes to sparkbonding. I am still going through his short years of human memory. When he sparkbonds, he gets _everything_. All at once. It is set into his memory banks and is integrated naturally into his conversations. I didn't tell him. But he knows."

Silence for several moments. "You seriously want us to tell them about the Ring?" Slapper demanded.

"I think they deserve to know. Without you, they would be Autobots. As they are Decepticons, this is a chance to get closer to them. Tell them your stories."

Megatron studied the little mech. "And we have no choice?"

"Yes, you have a choice. This is one thing I cannot order from you. It must come from you."

"Hm…" Megatron shook his head. "I will not speak of it now. The other Predacons can speak of it if they wish."

"No," the all muttered.

"What's so important about all of this?" Scourge demanded.

"Simple," Paradox said. "Without the Ring, this war never would have started." He paused. "Boy that sounds like 'Lord of the Rings', doesn't it Sky-Byte?"

"Yes. Yes, it does."

"What's that?" Slapper queried.

Paradox grinned. "Movie Marathon!"


	12. The Ring

The Decepticons kept asking, and it was Slapper who broke down first.

"Ya wanna know! Fine! Sit down! And no questions 'til the end! Got it?"

Slapper shifted uncomfortably as he was stared at by eager optics. He swallowed nervously and began.

"The Ring is a term for the fighting circuit on Cybertron. Gladiators. All Predacons are former gladiators. Fightin's in our blood. What do you know about the caste system?"

"Caste?" they all asked.

"I don't have any knowledge of Cybertron being a caste system," Armorhide continued. "It was something like America is. Get a good education of anything you want, pick a job, if you don't like it, switch."

"That'd be the Autobot talkin'," Gas Skunk growled. "You Autobots are so stupid."

"Yeah, free jobs my aft," Dark Scream snarled. Megatron simply watched from his throne.

"But that's the way it was!" Rollbar said then paused. "Wasn't it?"

"For the vast majority of the population, yes," Sky-Byte said, taking a seat at another table, Paradox stretched out and took the chair across from them, silent, but listening. "But there was indeed a caste system. And just like the one in India, it is damn near impossible to get out of it when you're in the bottom."

"What was this caste system that we've never heard of?" Movor asked.

"Gladiators were stuck as gladiators," Slapper said. "There was no way out. You got sparked, the medic immediately fragged up your scanner so that you couldn't become normal vehicles, then you were trained in combat to entertain the masses."

"Why frag up your scanners?" Scourge asked, leaning back and watching.

"To set us apart, of course," Dark Scream said with a shrug. "Why would the lowest, filthiest class get to rub elbows with the Upper, Middle, or even Lower class mechs who walked the streets? Our forms were different, the animal parts clearly seen. We were walked slowly from ring to ring sometimes so we could hear their derision, their disgust at what we were. They even hit us sometimes. And you were _not_ allowed to hit back. Severe punishment was given if you did. If you even looked angry, most of the time."

"Yeah, not only that, though," Gas Skunk sighed. "Who wants to see cars bumping each other in the ring? Demolition derbies were the Autobots' thing, though you actually got to choose whether or not you did it. Those were legal. They wanted teeth and claws, energon staining the ring. And if a Predacon died? Who cares. They're lower than the dirt you walk on. They don't deserve consideration."

"To compare it to something else," Sky-Byte said. "It's like the slaves in US history. They were nothing but bodies, workers to be used until they had outlived their usefulness. Once you were unable to fight anymore, your spark was violently ripped from your body and snuffed. The screams. I can still hear the…the _screams…_ "

All the Predacons shuddered except Megatron, who shifted and finally spoke.

"I was good. No. I was the best. The best they'd seen in generations. But I never killed. All my winnings, for you did actually get winnings, went to repairing the Predacons I beat. I spread rumors of an uprising. But it didn't happen. Not while we were gladiators. Because the Council had finally freed the gladiators. We were pleased, running out into the streets…Only to be thrown to the side.

"We could hardly get any jobs, and the ones we got were demeaning. Oh, they weren't demeaning when the Autobots got them, but the service jobs we did get, we were forced to work long, long hours for little pay. We slept in the alleys to be abused by sparklings in the morning before they were whisked away for free education that we couldn't afford, because of course the dregs had to pay for it. They weren't good enough to be with the Autobots, the bright, clean, _respectable_ Autobots.

"So I spread the rumors again, and this time, every single Predacon rallied with me. We started a vicious, violent war just to get the freedom we desired. And we have consistently been painted as nothing more than the beasts that we turn into."

"Wouldn't the Predacon children sparked be Autobots?" Scourge asked.

"Not when the medics who helped with the sparking fragged up their scanners on purpose, either of their own volition or somebody else's orders, just so it would be a Predacon," Slapper muttered.

"That's…awful," Movor murmured.

"Yeah. So now you know why we fight the Autobots. We detest what they represent. It's also the reason I never became an Autobot," Sky-Byte replied. "I'd rather be a Neutral that a damned Autobot. They know nothing of true pain and suffering. They're sheltered little glitches. They never had to fight their brother to the death! Hear his moans of agony and the _cheers_ of the crowd!"

"What about Side Burn?" Paradox asked, sipping on energon.

"Side Burn…is a youngling. He doesn't have the preconceived notions that the older bots cling to. He's alright. You know, for an Autobot."

"Wedge also thinks the caste system was a terrible idea. And yes, he actually knows about it. Optimus doesn't agree with it, either. He really does only want peace," the boy said, looking up to study the Predacons.

"Yes, but peace won't happen while their ignorance remains. And that is final," Megatron growled. "Now, enough of this depressing talk. Entertain us. Give us a movie, a song, something that is happy!"

"Yes, sir," Paradox said, projecting the Beverly Hillbillies, the original, on the screen. He then turned his attention to his bond, where all the Autobots were listening in. Because he was their common point, all of them had a light connection when he wished it and could talk over the bond.

_~I'd say they were lying, but that sounded like pain in their voices.~_

_~They are not lying, Prowl. The caste system is real.~_

_~But Optimus, how could we have not noticed it?~_

_~Simple, big brother. We didn't want to. I was too young, and so was Wedge, but you guys…You were old enough to see them suffering. And you did nothing about it.~_

_~We must discuss this new information. Thank you, Koji.~_

_~I didn't mean to have the bond open. Remember that, Autobots.~_


	13. Relief

"You never said you had to bond to me to do the upgrades…" Slapper murmured.

"It just makes the whole process easier," Paradox assured him.

"What if I want to bond later on?"

"You will be able to. You will, I swear. Just let me."

"Um…Okay…"

There was a bright flash of light, pain and memories, then Slapper fell unconscious. Paradox was pleased. He was a good spark underneath it all, and the Mini-Con bond had brought it out. _Now for the upgrades_ , he thought.

He tore the Predacon down to his protoform, and carefully fixed the part that all of them desired to be fixed. Then he reassembled. Then he took him apart. Then he reassembled again. Twenty times later, Paradox was satisfied. He cleaned Slapper until he shone then made two cubes of high-grade and woke him up. Slapper shivered as he sat up, desperately needing energy. He drank half the cube quickly then looked down in wonder at himself.

"Wow…Sweet upgrades! Can I see myself?"

Paradox waved his hand and a mirror appeared. Slapper laughed.

"This is great! C'mon. Let's go show the others!"

The Mini-con stood and stretched himself out then walked out to the main room.

"I give you, the new Slapper!"

Everybody turned, gasping. Even Megatron sucked in a breath.

"Wow! Can you do that for me?" Dark Scream gasped.

"Us, too!" the Decepticons called.

"One a day. That's my rule."

"Why don't you pick a form, Slapper?" Sky-Byte asked knowingly.

Slapper looked alarmed and transformed rapidly. He looked around then changed back.

"Don't scare me like that!"

"That wasn't what I meant."

"Well then what do you mean? I'm still a frog!"

"Think about it."

Slapper did so then shuttered his optics. "No. No way. That's impossible to fix."

"For Paradox?"

All of the Predacons stared in shock. "Pick a form," Sky-Byte said.

"If this is some kind of sick joke…"

"Pick. A. Form."

"Lamborghini."

"What model?" Paradox asked.

"I don't care."

"Fine. I'll pick." He studied him. "Countach should suit you just fine."

The car appeared. Slapper looked reluctant, but started up his scanner. The light went over the car, and… _it took!_ There was no loud, embarrassing beeping. The light of the scanner didn't turn red. It didn't send him into a convulsion. There was no laughter. Every Predacon began to cry in relief, though Megatron tried to hide his.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Sky-Byte demanded a minute later; he, too, was crying. "Try it out!"

"Oh, sweet Primus," Slapper moaned. Then he transformed into a vehicle for the first time in his life. Gas Skunk and Dark Scream hurried over and looked him over, optics gleaming in joy.

"Wow! Drive around!" the called.

"How? I don't know how!"

"I'll teach you," Paradox laughed. "I taught Sky-Byte."

"Ooh! Transform for us! Please?" Dark Scream begged.

"I…Sure."

He did so then revved his engine loudly, racing around. He then launched into the air and transformed into a shark.

"Paradox, teach him how to drive so I can beat him in a race!"

"Yeah right, fish breath!"

Paradox shrank and phased through the door of the car.

"I'm going to teach you how to rev your engine. But first, you must learn the brakes."

"Why?"

"Long story," Sky-Byte said as he changed into his bipedal mode. "One that involves a steep cliff and a river."

"Do tell," Gas Skunk said in amusement.

"Quiet. That is a story for another time," Paradox scolded. "Now, focus on how it feels then try to do it yourself."

"Sure thing, Paradox."

Paradox smiled. There was a fondness there that hadn't been there before. He had made progress. This pleased him. And Megatron's weighty gaze, the one with the small smile, made him feel pretty good, too.


	14. Please, Make It Stop

Unlike Optimus, Megatron was last. He pushed it back again and again until there was no reason not to do it. Paradox stood there.

"It hurts, but I know you can take the pain."

"You think I didn't know you were bonding?" Megatron growled. "They all acted like they just got bonded when they came back, and when you bonded to Movor first, the other Commandos felt a jolt. Which followed with all the others. Scourge was last, so he felt all five jolts. What say you to that?"

"They didn't think to tell you, and I knew it wasn't wise. I wasn't going to stop them from mentioning it, but they were all so taken with me that they didn't consider it," Paradox replied. "Now, let me bond to you. You will feel much better."

"If you hurt me…"

"You will feel pain initially, but it should disappear quickly."

Megatron hesitantly revealed his spark, a sight that very few had ever seen, even with the medical privilege that he gave out. The spark was red in irritation. Paradox studied it.

"Abnormality. Your spark is too big for its chamber."

Megatron was clearly embarrassed. "Yes. And if you tell anybody—"

"Peace, Megatron. Peace. Your secret is safe with me. However, I will fix your chamber size to alleviate the problem entirely. Now, relax. This hurts less if you're relaxed."

"I can take pain better than any Autobot!"

"But do you prefer it?"

That shut the Predacon leader up, and he looked away, optics purple. Paradox took out his spark. Without even touching, the irritated spark began to turn back to blue. Megatron watched, tears filling his optics.

"Do it," he begged softly, clearly swallowing his pride. "Make the pain go away. Make it stop hurting. Please, Paradox. Make me feel better. It's never _not_ hurt. It's never…never let me relax. Please. Please make it stop."

"Of course, sweetling," Paradox purred, translating a Cybertronian term into English. It succeeded in soothing his intended, who relaxed as well as his reddened spark would let him.

This bond was so much more painful than any other Paradox had ever done. But Megatron didn't cry out, so he didn't either. Megatron was sent into peaceful rest, but Paradox couldn't breath. The spark was back in its casing, and it was so _tight!_

_~Koji?~_ Optimus asked; he was the only one powerful enough to break through the shield, which sealed behind him.

_~Back off! Now! I will not ask again!~_

_~None of your other bonds were that painful for this long! Is something wrong? Can I help?~_

Paradox felt a flare of anger. _~Learn your place, Prime!~_ He barked as he zapped the slag out of Optimus, who screamed in shock and quickly withdrew. There was a low chuckle, and Paradox glanced down at Megatron.

"I hope that hurt," he said groggily.

"It did. A lot. Now relax."

"It hurts…"

"I know. I'm going to fix it. Shh…"

"I can't fall asleep when other people are around unless they're a…Predacon…"

"Let me help you. Just breathe normally."

Megatron did as Paradox had asked. The next thing he knew, he could hear an even beat against his audio receptors. The beat thrummed through his body. It was relaxing, whatever it was. He felt strange, he noticed. He couldn't place what was wrong…Megatron sat bolt upright as the answer slammed into him.

"Nothing's wrong!" he gasped, clutching at his chest. "It, it doesn't hurt! Oh! Oh!"

He couldn't stop crying. Arms wrapped around him.

"You okay?" Paradox asked.

"Yes! For the first time in my life! It doesn't hurt! I don't…How did you do this?"

"I expanded your spark chamber. That's what a medic should have done when you were sparked."

"They didn't give a damn if I was in pain. It made me a better fighter. They liked that. The money I could make the organization was twenty times that of any other gladiator."

"I know. Don't think about it. If you do think about it, you can talk to me or the other Predacons. Or even the Decepticons. They understand better now. Okay?"

"What else did you do?" Megatron asked.

"Reorganized your entire structure. Took out your hand transformation to replace it with something useful of your choosing. Took out the very damaging, no doubt painful upgrades that some half-clocked glitch put in backwards to replace them with the correct, and more advanced, hardware that you deserve. You can still transform into five different things, but you will need to rescan everything with your _fixed_ scanner. I will provide the images if I need to. And…I think that just about covers it."

"I am pleased," Megatron said. "Now, give me my dragon."

They walked out of the room twenty minutes later. "And here is the most improved out of all of you!" Paradox called as they entered the main room.

They gushed over his new form then they drank high-grade, discussing everything excitedly. There was a lull in the conversation as they snacked on energon treats. Paradox was just as big as the mechs, and he stared at one, thinking hard. Energon. It was a purely Cybertronian invention. Earth had nothing like it. No Earth food compared to the rich _zing!_ of energy it provided…

Paradox crushed it in his silver fist then slammed said fist onto the table, leaving a sizeable dent. The Predacons and Decepticons stared at him in shock as he began to cry. Sky-Byte pulled him close.

"You shouldn't think about it, Koji."

"Don't call me that!" the boy screeched, struggling in his grip.

"What's wrong?" Movor asked.

"Me! _I'm_ what's wrong!" Paradox moaned.

More stares. Megatron finally stood and pried the Mini-con from Sky-Byte's grip, despite the shark's protests. He shook his shoulders lightly.

"Look at me!" Paradox shook his head, shuddering. "I will not ask again! Look at me!"

The golden brown optics reluctantly met Megatron's. The mech was so domineering that he felt like he had to. The Cybertronian nodded.

"Good. Now explain. And don't say no. That isn't an option."

"I…don't…" Paradox shuddered again then sobbed, shoving Megatron back into the wall. "You want to know? Fine! Look at me! What am I? I demand an answer!"

"You are Paradox," Megatron said as the others floundered for an answer.

"What species am I?"

"Mini-con."

"What am I supposed to be?"

"Human."

"Exactly! I'm not human! I'm not Cybertronian! I'm a freaky hybrid! I should look like I'm nineteen! I should be going to college! I should have a girlfriend and a car! I shouldn't be stuck with Transformers! Primus expects me to fit in with your kind? He expects me to be with you? What about the mechs who haven't been to Earth? Hm? Am I supposed to wear a disguise most of the time? Am I supposed to keep what I am a secret? If I don't, what'll become of me?! I…I wanna go home!"

Paradox had been pacing wildly around the room, but he finally collapsed, sobbing hard. There was no movement or sound for a minute then Megatron walked over to him. He sat down, pulling the boy in his lap, holding him close. The others quickly gathered around just to prove they were there for the boy. Paradox finally cried himself out and sat there, trembling and whimpering. Megatron sat him up as he wiped his eyes.

"Better?"

"Y-yeah. Better."

"Autobots are stupid," Slapper growled. "Can't see the pain that's right in front of them, right?"

Paradox nodded and Movor frowned; nobody was wearing their masks or visors anymore. "Why didn't Sky-Byte help?"

The shark growled. "Because Sky-Byte didn't know how to help, and every time he tried he got zapped. Or frozen. Or teleported to the middle of the biggest desert in the world. Or even set on fire. Five times, to be precise. That's why, Movor." He paused then turned to Megatron. "How did you know how to help?"

"He's a sparkling, yes?"

"Well…Yes, but…I never considered that…"

"You should. Just because he can be as big as we can, just because he's brilliant, because he's got all these abilities, because he can fight, because he can bond without terrible consequences, that doesn't mean he isn't a sparkling. And sparklings sometimes need to be held and told that it's okay to hurt, it's okay to cry, it's okay to be weak. And that's what he needed. And a listening audio."

"Koji, I'm sorry about my stupid—" Sky-Byte started.

"Didn't I tell you to not call me that?" Paradox muttered, tears in his eyes again.

"But that's who you are. You're Koji Onishi."

"No. I'm not. I'm Paradox."

"You're both," Megatron said harshly. "And leave it there."

"Yes, sir."

"How are you so good with sparklings?" Dark Scream questioned.

"I used to take care of the new-sparks up to their youngling days, when they would be forced to fight. I wasn't a physical trainer, but…I think I helped in other ways. With sparklings, you must be kind, but firm, understanding, but they must know you are in charge and there is no other alternative but to do as you say."

"Oh…So kinda like Paradox talks to us!" Gas Skunk exclaimed.

"In a way, yes," Megatron said with a chuckle, surprising them.

"Well, Paradox," Sky-Byte said. "That's all of us."

"On Earth. But it's not all the Transformers," Paradox replied with a smirk.

"…You're not serious, are you?"

Paradox grinned then went silent. "What say we take in some energy?"

"Sounds good," Scourge said.

They returned to the tables where Paradox wondered how to bring it up. He finally opened his bond to Optimus and the other Autobots and spoke up.

"We must come to a consensus, yes?"

"About what?" everybody asked.

"Peace."

The Autobots and most of the Predacons (they were calling everybody Predacons now, as they could transform into animals) went dead silent.

"I told you my thoughts on that," Megatron said blandly.

"Oh, so I have permission to share your stories with the Autobots?"

"No!"

"Koji, drop this stupid notion or I'll tell them," Sky-Byte threatened.

"Tell us what?" Ro-Tor asked suspiciously.

"I will not drop it, and I did only what I thought was best."

"Whilst we were discussing the gladiator rings, not our personal stories except for Megatron's, lightly, mind you, but the in general of it, Koji decided to open his bonds to the Autobots and let them hear about it," Sky-Byte said, sounding rather angry. "And I didn't discover this until we sparkbonded afterwards, so don't get onto me!"

Rage was plain on their faces. Paradox didn't look up to see this. He crunched an energon treat.

"There was no information there that they couldn't have gotten from Optimus. Yes, that includes Megatron's story. Optimus damn near joined the Predacons when he realized what was really behind the foul treatment of the first and best friend he ever had. He would have, too, if he hadn't been granted the matrix, which made him desire to bring peace between the factions. Megatron's didn't want to hear it and took a nice swipe at Optimus. Both of them know what happened after that, and thus, their intense hatred of what they became, not what they used to be began. Luckily, I changed them into what they used to be, not what they were."

Megatron snarled. "You shouldn't have done that!"

"He is also doing it right now," Sky-Byte muttered.

"Close it," Megatron growled.

"Not until we pick a time and place."

~"A time and place for what?"~ Optimus and Megatron asked at the same time.


	15. Orion and Songbird

The Predacons stood there silently waiting for the Autobots. Paradox was sitting in the water of the lake, keeping nice and cool despite the heat radiating from his spark. It wasn't a malfunction. It was the buzzing emotions of every one of his sparkmates. Some were excited, all were nervous, but only two were scared.

Yes, they were scared. How would his best friend react now that he knew he was as he used to be? Would he be embarrassed by tears in front of his men? Would there be joyful laughter? Would there be anger at past wrongs? And then there was the thing that pushed it over. The one action that had horrified both of them, shamed one of them, and scared the sparklight out of the other.

The spacebridge opened, causing the excitement to spike hard, the nervousness to increase, and the fear to become nearly overwhelming. Optimus shot through and transformed immediately, followed by _everybody_. Strangely enough, the Predacons didn't even tense, and, to Paradox's delight, neither did the Autobots.

"Optimus," Megatron greeted coolly, though inside he was panicking.

"Megatron." He was just as bad, and he was forcing his voice to be steady.

Silence for a few seconds. Optimus finally looked around.

"Where's Koji?"

"Koji?" Slapper asked blankly.

"Me, Slapper," Paradox said, stretching out and flipping his hood up; he didn't want to betray the others' emotions…well, he was feeling generally the same thing from everybody else, but the double batch of fear was enough to make him cry…which made him glad for the hood. "What's up, Orion?"

Megatron laughed as Optimus jolted and stared in shock at the boy. Nobody else knew what was so funny.

"Are we missing something, big guy?" Sideburn asked.

"Yeah, it ain't that funny," X-Brawn said in confusion.

"If you could see the look on Optimus' face, it would be," Megatron practically purred, optics gleaming in merriment.

"Oh, like you know what Optimus' face looks like," Midnight Express said disdainfully.

"Better than anybody left alive."

"Oh, mentioning your killing sprees already?"

"Don't go there," Megatron warned. "I know some stories about all of you that would make you think twice."

"Name one," Wedge challenged.

"How's Transwarp doing these days?"

Wedge's optics paled nearly to white, alarming everybody.

Heavy Load placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Wedge?"

"Don't ask. Don't ask me. Don't ask him. Don't ask," Wedge whispered.

"That was unnecessary, Megatron," Optimus said disapprovingly. "That is a very sensitive subject. You should know that."

"Well, what happened to him isn't my fault," Megatron groused. "It's his own fau—"

Wedge shrieked and lunged forward. The Predacon leader backed up, but both of them were suddenly immobile.

"Enough. No more talk like that, Megatron," Paradox said, flipping his hood off to reveal stern optics. A pair of human eyes took in the metal and the glowing orbs, but stayed silent, as he had been instructed to.

"He asked for it!"

"If you do that again, I will tell everybody here about Tailwhip. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," came the irritated response.

"And you, calm yourself. I can fix him when we get to Cybertron," Paradox growled to Wedge.

"What happened?" Scourge asked.

"Drop it."

"But—"

"The next person who even thinks about it, I will give five hundred thousand volts. Or set him on fire. Whichever I find more appealing at the time," Paradox said cheerfully. "Now, Orion, you and Megsy go and talk. I shall entertain your men. Go on now. Shoo."

Optimus and Megatron headed off, the air around them awkward and rather tense. They stopped on the other side of the lake, sitting down on a small cliff and dangling their feet in the water. It was the same…but different. Optimus finally snorted.

" _Megsy?!"_

"He only calls me that when he's ordering me around. Like I'm a sparkling or something," Megatron muttered. "What about you, _Orion_? What do you have to say to that?"

"Nobody has called me Orion since I became Prime. It…brings back memories. Especially when you say it…Megsy."

Megatron snickered, bumping him. He stared at the masked face and looked away quickly. Optimus frowned, and it could be heard.

"You really didn't think about it when you did it?"

"…Must we talk about this?"

"Yes. Answer the question."

"I…I don't want to."

"Why not?"

"You'll yell at me."

"Megatron," Optimus sighed. "I don't want to yell at you. I want peace."

The tears wouldn't be held back. "Fine. I wanted to hurt you. In the moment, that was all I cared for. And one of the most important things to you was your face. So the answer to your question is 'I did think about it when I did it.' I regretted it as soon as I made contact. The look on your face…I never want to see it again. You knew as soon as I hit you that it would scar. I hurt you more than anybot else knew. And I have nightmares of what I did. I'm sorry, Orion. I really am."

There was silence and stillness. Each of the Predacon's inhales was shaky. There was a soft click after a minute, and Megatron sobbed.

"Don't make me, Orion. Please."

"You think you don't deserve it?"

Megatron knew the answer to that. He did deserve it. He shyly looked up at the face that had been one of the fairest on all of Cybertron. His hope that it hadn't scarred too badly disappeared as, for the first time, he saw just how much damage he had done. There were five, one for each claw. They cut across his face, angled slightly downward. The mask barely covered the tops of his scars. Megatron resumed crying, hiding his face in his hands. He hiccupped in surprise as Optimus pulled him close.

"Don't, Orion!"

"I will anyway, Songbird."

Megatron swore violently. "Don't call me that!"

"Why not? You're calling me Orion."

"I told you that in private!"

"Does Koji know?"

"Who?" Megatron asked then shook his head. "Right. Paradox."

"Who?"

"The Mini-con. He introduced himself to the Predacons as Paradox."

"We know him as Koji."

"Yes. He seems particularly vehement that we not refer to him as 'Koji'."

"Any reason why?"

"He feels as if he is a freak. And he is."

"Songbird!"

Megatron snarled. When Optimus had climbed back onto the cliff, laughing his sopping wet aft off the whole time, Megatron leaned back on his hands to explain himself.

"He _is_ a freak, Orion. There's no denying it. Not one time in recorded history, theirs or ours, has something like this happened. All other envoys have been Cybertronian."

"Envoy? You really think that's what he is?"

"They are made to end wars and ensure peace, yes? Well, what's Paradox been doing?"

Optimus laughed. "True." There was a pause. "Then he told you the same thing he told me?"

"About how we're required to end the war? Yes."

"Do you object?"

"If you had asked me to bond with you when we were historians? I wouldn't have had a single complaint. I would have bonded with you in front of the other historians! But now…The things I've done, Orion. In the name of freedom for my people…"

"I don't blame you. I've done things I am not proud of either. We can still try."

"Paradox stated that he has to watch."

Optimus hummed. "He told me that, as well. So do we have our decision?"

"Yes, Orion. Yes, we do. Peace with the insensitive morons who call themselves Autobots."

"Songbird!"

Megatron shoved Optimus again, but this time, Optimus snagged his arm as he tumbled in. They crawled out onto the shore, laughing hard.

"Aw, aren't they cute everybody?"

That shut them up, and Optimus slammed his mask on as they both scrambled to their feet, looking properly abashed as they furtively glanced up to see…Paradox. _Only_ Paradox. Who was currently laughing his aft off. Megatron tried to be upset, as did Optimus.

"Very funny," the Predacon muttered, but his optics gleamed in amusement.

"Nobody else?" Optimus asked, fingering his mask.

"They're having transforming competitions, animal and car. It's a stalemate," Paradox said with a grin. "They keep asking me why I called you Orion, Optimus."

"Did you tell them?" He sounded worried.

"No. That's your business, sweetling."

Optimus sighed in relief and removed his mask again. "I've never heard that word translated before. It's…perfect."

"I think so, too," Megatron said with a smile.

"We can talk more later," Paradox said, sitting down and crossing his legs. "Now, let's get to the peace."

Shyness exploded from both of them as their optics turned purple.

"Must we be so direct?" Megatron asked.

"Yes."

"Why?" Optimus asked.

"You'll see in thirty minutes," Paradox replied. "Now, get to it."

The two leaders stared at him. Megatron moved first, taking out his spark. Optimus gasped in wonder.

"It isn't red!"

"Paradox expanded the chamber. I am no longer in constant pain." There was relief and happiness in that voice.

"That's wonderful!"

There was a long pause then Optimus took out his own spark. Megatron appraised it.

"Beautiful," he concluded. "Now, let's…"

He couldn't bring himself to say it, so instead he offered his spark. Optimus guided his spark to meet with his best friend's. Paradox watched quietly as the sparks combined. Twenty minutes later, they separated. His bonds to the two mechs let him feel their deep-seated joy and contentment with all that they had gleaned from each other. They stood, Paradox with them. The boy kissed each of them.

"Congratulations. Now let us go announce the end of the war."

Both Autobots and Predacons reacted positively to the news, and they all gave congratulations. They were in the middle of celebrating when they noticed something.

"Koji?" Side Burn asked.

"Paradox?" Slapper echoed.

There was a scream, so loud and pain-filled that it startled them. It was Paradox. They raced for the noise. Every single one of them froze when they saw…well, most of them weren't sure what it was. It was an alien, that much was clear. It had green tentacles, five of them. It also had three faces, two of which were still. But that one in the middle…it had a look of greed and it promised death. And that being was currently drilling a hole in Paradox's chest. Paradox was, mercifully, unconscious.

"You, Quintesson! Stop this!" Megatron barked.

"We want the Allspark piece that is in this…thing," the Quintesson replied. He then looked frustrated. "But we cannot find it!"

Guns were drawn and pointed. The Quintesson's faces suddenly started spinning, causing them to gasp. It settled on one that hadn't been there, and they saw that they had shorted the face count by two.

"Fools!" It laughed then shrieked in its own language. Twenty more came out, pointing weapons that looked much deadlier back at them. There was stillness.

"Fire!" the Quintesson baked. They fired at each other for a minute neither side hitting. Then there was another agony-laced scream, and the weapons stilled. Everybody looked at what they believed to be the commander. He was currently struggling in Paradox's grip, bleeding heavily from his eyeholes. He was whimpering. All of the Transformers would have been, too. There was death promised in the normally kind face of their bondmate. And he didn't disappoint.

The one he held exploded. Weapons turned on him, but they didn't fire as the Quintessons rapidly discussed what to do. Six of them caught on fire, screaming the whole time, five of them froze and were thrown into trees to shatter. Seven were electrocuted until they, too, exploded. And the last two? They literally melted, skin first, then everything in between. Paradox stood.

"Movor! Come here!"

Movor obeyed. "Yes?"

"Do you see that gleam?" He pointed.

"Yes."

"Shoot it."

"But…"

"I recalibrated your aiming mechanism. Do it before it leaves!"

Movor fired several shots and there was nothing for a few seconds then a _BOOM!_ Spaceship parts began to rain down on them. There were no cheers of triumph. They were shocked.

"I need high-grade. Lots of it," Paradox said tiredly. "We are all going to the Autobot base. Do you understand?"

"Yes," they chorused.

"Koji?" Side Burn asked before they could move.

"What?"

"Where did that thing come from?"

"Quintessa."

"But…what did they want?"

"My spark."

"Why?"

"They try to steal the Allspark every once in a while, especially when a piece breaks off." Paradox paused. "Megatron, what were you and Optimus talking about earlier? No, not that, the part about me."

"Oh. I told him that I believe you are an envoy. I didn't mention it, but you and I have discussed it, and, though you've never confirmed it, you've never denied it either."

"I did confirm it. When I told you something. What was it?"

"You…In that conversation you told me that you were picked to stop a war. And you did."

"Yes, I stopped your war, but I have some bad news."

"What's that?"

"I didn't say it was your war I was made to stop."


	16. You May Never See Them Again

Time was running out. They were all getting ready to go to Cybertron. It was best not to be on Earth when the Quintessons came back for round two. Earth had a delicate ecosystem. Cybertron was much better for such conflict.

Yes, time was running out, but not to leave. It would take the Quintessons a while to get prepared to come back. But it was running out for Paradox. Optimus finally snagged him.

"You _have_ to speak with your mother and father. You might never see them again."

So here he was, at his favorite restaurant, sitting and waiting for his parents to get there. He was disguised as a normal human, but his parents would be able to see through his disguise. The bell rang and Koji swallowed as two people slid in the booth.

"You really haven't changed much. You know, youth-wise," Kenneth said slowly after looking him over.

"Yeah," Koji replied. "Not gonna age for a while."

"I wish I could say the same thing."

"No, you don't. Aging, year after year, is a part of a human life cycle. Cybertronians have a longer lifespan. But there's a reason for that."

"What's that?"

"Around our solar system is a time crunch. There is very advanced science behind it, but it is Cybertronian, so I cannot explain it to you. You would have to have Wedge's base knowledge to even understand the terms, let alone put it together."

"Can you explain the time crunch itself?"

"Yes. I'll take a Dr. Pepper. Light ice."

His parents jumped then ordered their drinks. They sat there until they arrived, then Koji downed his in seconds.

"Doesn't that burn?" Kiko asked.

"No. My throat's made of metal. I can take sting from a soda. I can take the sting from fizzy energon, too, and that's one helluva bite."

"I'd say don't curse, but…" his mother said sadly.

"Yeah. Nineteen. I'm old enough to have the right. I'll keep it to a minimum though."

His drink was refilled and orders were taken. Then Koji sat back.

"A time crunch is a tricky thing. It means what is six thousand years for us is over six million for them. So they've been around the same amount of time as us, but time is counted differently inside of our solar system, so it's less time all around. It's a very tricky subject, so tell me if this doesn't make sense."

"So what happens when they come inside the time crunch?" Kenneth asked.

"They retain their own time physically, but they have to abide by ours."

"I see. What does this mean for you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Optimus says you're shipping out in a week. What will the time crunch do for you?"

"Nothing. I'm already sealed into their time. That's why I haven't aged even an hour. Probably not even a minute. Maybe a second or two."

"What does this time crunch mean ultimately?"

Koji frowned. "Are you a religious man, Dad?"

Kenneth sat back. "I've investigated the religions."

"Christianity?"

"Yes."

"What did you think of it?"

"I'm not sure. Why?"

"I suggest investigating it further."

"Why?"

"Because the Transformers have a version of it. It is very, very similar to ours. How is that possible, Dad? How can two very different species, lightyears upon lightyears apart, on completely different worlds come up with basically the same religion?"

"What do they call their God?"

"They don't have a single term for God. They call Him many things. The most common one is The Great One. The All-Encompassing is another. And…they have one that will sound familiar."

"What's that?" Kiko asked, eating small bites of bread.

"I AM."

"What?"

"God on our planet once said to Moses, 'I AM. Tell them I AM has sent you.' Jesus Christ made the same bold statement, proving he came from God. The All-Encompassing has said the same thing on Cybertron. He has called himself 'I AM'. It is recorded in their version of the Bible. Tell me, how is that possible?"

"It isn't," Kenneth said simply. "Unless their Great One and our God are the same person. Tell me more of their religion."

"I…can't. If you want to know more about Jesus, I can talk until you fall asleep, but…their religion is not for humans."

"But isn't it the same thing?" Kiko asked.

"Yes and no. Theirs is tailored for them, ours for us. It's the way God made us. I am the only one who has ever, and most likely will ever, be able to do both at the same time. I see the connections."

"What are you exactly, when it comes to these things?"

"…Think of me as the apostle Paul. I am called from one life into another. I was ignorant of the Truth, and now I am not. That's all I can say on the subject."

"Why?"

"Because the All-Encompassing will not let me say anymore. The words flee whenever I try to say something I'm not supposed to. I couldn't tell you in any of the six thousand languages I know."

"Six _thousand?_ " they asked.

"Yes. I got bored." The boy smirked. "And I'm still about five hundred languages short!"

They laughed then sat back as their food got there. Koji said thanks for them then they began to eat. His parents noticed that he had gotten much more food than they had.

"Can you eat all that?"

Koji nodded and swallowed. "My metabolism processes human food insanely fast. I'll still be hungry when I finish this. Plenty of room for cheesecake!"

"So…I have a question." Koji nodded again, taking a huge bite of chicken fried steak. "Why is every single Transformer calling you a bondmate?"

"Because I bonded to them."

"Swallow first," Kiko scolded.

"Sorry, Mom," Koji snickered as he did as she asked.

"Yes, but what does that mean? None of them will explain. Not even Optimus or TA-I!"

"That would be like a human openly discussing sex."

"So it's their version of sex."

"Kinda."

"Does that make them…gay?" Kiko asked.

"No. There are no female Transformers. 'Gay' in that sense isn't even a term on their planet. It just isn't possible. To be female you must have the right…we'll call it equipment, _and_ you must have a female soul. Female isn't just something defined by body parts. It is _who you are_. The same is true of males. It isn't just physical. It's spiritual, too. With me so far?"

"Yes."

"Well, bonding is their form of intimacy. It can only happen between two mechs, and it is lifelong, whether they like it or not. Yes, there is a surgery, but the vast majority of medics refuse to do it, and it is expensive if you find somebody willing. When bonding occurs, you spend time in your bondmate's thoughts, feelings, memories. You find out what makes them tick. They're doing the same with you. It's that simple. But it isn't easy."

"Why not?" Kenneth asked.

"How would you like Mom to know about your thoughts? Or memories from your teenage years?"

"Ah. I see your point."

"See, sex and bonding are different expressions of deep intimacy, each made specifically for its species. Humans couldn't stand bonding, and I'm pretty sure that Transformers couldn't handle sex. It just isn't right for them. God certainly knew what he is doing when He designed them."

They nodded as the waitress came back, refilling Koji's drink for the sixth time and asking about dessert. They all got plain cheesecake.

"So…" Kiko said slowly. "When will you be back?"

"I don't know how long the war will last."

"Can you tell us about the Quintessons?" Kenneth inquired.

"Not much. Optimus and Megatron could probably tell you more. They were historians before the war. Together."

"Did they really bond?"

"Yes. I watched."

"Isn't that…?"

"No. It isn't. It must be done at the end of a war. It must be seen by at least one mech, or else they're going to have to do it again in front of somebody."

"Ah. Isn't it awkward?"

"I'm not a Cybertronian, or else yes. Well, for me. They were awkward. It was sweet though. And don't ask. That's personal."

"Got it."

"I'll pay," Koji said, handing her a debit card before she even set the check down.

"Where did you get money?"

"I got bored."

"How bored did you get?"

"Oh…you know about the languages…I have enough Earth knowledge to have over two hundred degrees, some of them very specific. I'm a shadowed advisor to a lot of people. Trust me, I have plenty. I have some in a separate account for you. Here."

He handed each of them a card.

"Koji, really," Kenneth started.

"Consider it my going away present. I gotta go now. Okay?"

He took his card from the waitress, signed the bill with a two hundred-dollar tip, winked at her shocked face, turned, and left.

"You have a kind boy there," the woman whispered.

"Yeah. And we won't see him for a while," Kenneth replied numbly.

Kiko sobbed and pressed into her husband. He held her close as they began to cry.


	17. I Am Paradox

"Koji Onishi!" TA-I shrieked, surprising everybody.

"TA-I! What's wrong?" Prowl asked as they gathered around.

Koji grinned up at them and they looked to the computer screen as words appeared. _"Oh, she just found out who the program is."_

"You?!" the Autobots gasped.

"Yep. And _here_ is where I'm hidden!"

TA-I slapped him hard. Then she blinked in surprise. "Hey! I can touch you!"

"Yes," Koji replied with a smirk. "And I must say that that hurt. Nice one."

"Hmph. Did anybody else know about it?"

"Yes. Two people."

"Who? Tell me so I can hurt them!"

"Sky-Byte."

"Oh, well he's a Predacon. Can't be helped. And?"

Side Burn began edging out as Koji gave her the answer. She looked angry. "Side Burn!"

"I'm outta here!"

TA-I slammed the door in his face. "I will make you regret not telling me."

"Yeah?" Side Burn challenged. "Well it can't be as bad as what Koji would do to me if I had."

There was laughter as she agreed then TA-I powered down, ready to be uploaded into the new ship that Koji had made from the Autobot's old one and the Megastar. Wedge was the only one trusted with carrying her chip. They stood outside to say goodbye to their friends. Koji embraced his family, forcing himself to be composed.

"We'll see you soon, right?" Kiko said.

"Yeah. Sooner than I'll see you."

"Time crunch, dear," Kenneth said in answer to his wife's confused expression.

They kissed him and he stretched out and boarded, sitting down in the rec room. Time seemed to stretch and shrink at the same time. He was jolted out of his thoughts by a hard jerk. He sat bolt upright, looking around.

"Calm down, Koji," Side Burn said. "It's just us leaving Earth's atmosphere."

"Paradox. I am not on Earth, so nobody is allowed to call me Koji," the boy said fiercely.

"Okay."

"Tell the Autobots. We don't have to worry about the Predacons. They already call me Paradox."

He settled back down, staring blankly at the table The poor boy was already homesick, and he began to cry. It was one thing to be homesick in another country. But what about another planet? He felt horrible. Arms wrapped around him, one on each side. He looked up to see Optimus and Megatron, who each wiped away a tear.

"I remember when we first left Cybertron," Megatron said. "Nobody wanted to go back…and yet they did. There were a lot of tears shed."

"Indeed," Optimus said. "If you need to talk, Paradox, you can talk to anybody here, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"And I want everybody here to keep in mind that Paradox is, in fact, a sparkling!" Megatron said sternly. "Yes, he's on our level most of the time, but that doesn't mean he won't have his sparkling moments. Am I understood?"

There was a chorus of 'Yes, sir!' Paradox felt better at that. He smiled and wiped his eyes. Megatron mussed his hair affectionately.

"Now, who wants a little high-grade?"

"No, Megatron. We're on a ship," Optimus replied.

"Fine, blue fizzy then!"

"I'd rather have green," Side Burn said.

"Well, it's made to order, now isn't it?" Paradox quipped.

Everybody cheered, and, though they headed to war on their home planet, they were content for the time being to spend time with their friends.


End file.
